353th Chapter
It was a massacre.
That was the only way to describe it.
A single figure was wreaking havoc across the Imperial Capital, reducing everything to chaos. Expensive artefacts were scattered about like trash, and the empire’s elite forces were crushed like insects.
The Empire had attempted to evacuate civilians in anticipation of the battle, but indiscriminate attacks caused civilian casualties to skyrocket regardless.
Despite suffering immense damage, the Empire’s strength remained formidable. Still, the losses incurred in such a short time stung deeply.
The perpetrator of this massacre was now heading toward the Imperial Palace.
Ray, once known as one of the Guardians of the Empire, looked grotesque. His heart shattered, his core bulged through torn flesh, and his collapsing body continuously bled diluted blood.
Ray’s self-destructive state was horrifying. No one who saw him thought he was making some noble sacrifice—this was sorcery, a moving corpse, the pathetic end of someone corrupted by a devil’s gamble.
Everyone who saw Ray’s condition felt not pity, but fear, revulsion, and hatred.
To those on the battlefield, Ray’s past didn’t matter anymore. Now, he was simply a calamity attacking the capital—a devil’s toy.
The Empire’s high-ranking officials hadn’t anticipated that Ray would make such a choice, nor that he’d conceal such overwhelming power.
But failing to anticipate this situation didn’t mean they couldn’t respond. The defense system of the Imperial Capital, powered by the mana veins beneath the most blessed land, began to activate fully.
Even without the support of an army, the Imperial Defense System could handle several lords at once.
The Empire’s concern wasn’t whether they could stop Ray, but how to minimize their own losses while doing so.
And the answer was already clear.
Gregorius, the Cardinal of the Holy Order, clasped his hands together as he sensed the surging waves of mana.
“…You test us.”
Gregorius was a prominent pro-royalty figure within the Holy Order. Over its thousand-year history, a select few Cardinals were appointed directly by the Emperor, and Gregorius was one of them.
Gregorius enjoyed the support of the Emperor and the royal family, representing their interests while also being renowned for his skills as a cleric.
Gregorius observed the approaching disaster with a ghastly appearance from afar. He silently murmured as he watched the scene of celebration turned into one of blood and screams.
“…Your intent is to keep us from slumber.”
Zzzt!!
Massive amounts of mana flowing through the veins were concentrated into a narrow area by the defense system.
There, Gregorius and numerous clerics prayed fervently.
The clerics chanted prayers and blessings amidst the surging torrent of mana. As over a hundred clerics focused their efforts, the mana drawn from the veins began to transform into something akin to divine energy.
The reason why the clerics, rather than mages, took the front lines to bless the mana was because divine energy was more effective against spatial blades than magic.
Although less destructive, the divine energy imbued with El-Lam’s blessing held its own against spatial blades in terms of elemental advantage.
Of course, there were complications.
“…”
Among the information Gregorius possessed was the possibility that Ray might have developed some ‘resistance’ to certain types of holy barriers.
If Ray truly had this resistance, it was unclear whether it stemmed from the nature of spatial blades or if he was naturally immune. There was currently no way to determine this.
However, such secondary concerns were irrelevant now.
No one seeing Ray in his current state would associate him with El-Lam rather than demons.
Gregorius needed only to suppress the mass murderer and validate the newly designed defense system of the Imperial Capital.
The clerics continued their prayers as Ray twirled his sword towards them.
Kuuuuuuaang!!!!!!!!!!
Drops of surging mana tore through the air and fell, devastating areas other than where the clerics stood.
Though many clerics were injured due to continuous bombardment, their prayers did not cease.
Soon, Ray approached close enough to strike the clerics directly.
Simultaneously, the mana from the veins reached a level sufficient to be called divine energy.
Having achieved his goal, Gregorius released his hands.
“Please guide us onto the righteous path…”
Whoosh!
A colossal sword made of divine energy materialized in the air.
This was less a sword and more a powerful barrier of divine energy shaped like a blade.
Kiiiiiiiiiiaaak!!!
The massive blade of light descended upon Ray.
At the same moment, the entire sky lit up with blinding light as enormous shields, spears, maces, hands, and wings extended from the shape of a giant angel, all descending upon Ray.
Ray swung his sword, attempting to destroy them all.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The deafening roar and flashes of light shook the ground, overwhelming the senses of everyone on the battlefield.
This was an unexaggerated clash of infinite power.
Overflowing mana from Ray’s out-of-control core clashed endlessly with the mana from the veins beneath the capital.
The mana was far too vast for human control, making delicate techniques impossible. Both sides desperately unleashed barely formed attacks, striving to overpower the other purely through brute force.
Ultimately, Ray was overwhelmed.
Crackkkk!!!!
Ray’s core provided limitless power.
But Ray was alone, forced to wield that infinite power with only his own deteriorating body.
To maintain what little remained of his physical form, he had to limit the output of his power.
On the other hand, there were hundreds of clerics. Many among them were skilled in consecration and barrier construction, aided further by the defense system.
Alone, Ray could not bridge this gap.
Gregorius began to advance, facing the blinding radiance.
The Ray ahead was increasingly restricted by the divine barriers.
Though Ray seemed resistant to certain types of divine barriers, Gregorius countered by flooding him with those he was not resistant to.
Crack!
With multiple layers of divine barriers, Ray’s movements were almost completely suppressed.
Gregorius personally approached Ray, enveloped in divine barriers like armor.
Cloaked in countless divine barriers, Gregorius transformed into a towering giant of light, looking down at Ray from above.
Then, Gregorius raised a massive fist forged from divine energy.
“May El-Lam bless us.”
“…”
Ray emitted a split grin under the oppressive pressure.
As he walked this irreversible path, Ray felt himself sinking deeper into darkness.
When he first opened his eyes in this world, everything seemed utterly messed up. And perhaps… it still was.
Ray awakened in a new world, accepting the path of sacrificing ‘his life’ in a forced destiny to save those he loved.
It was a choice to become a savior, to prevent the world’s destruction. After an arduous struggle, Ray believed he had achieved a happy ending, satisfied and relieved to have saved those he cared about.
But deep down, he didn’t want to do it.
He didn’t want to save this world.
Ray’s beginning was rooted in hatred.
And that hatred never faded.
Ray hated the bastard who threw him into this world and despised the secrets hidden by that bastard.
Though he had to ignore these feelings to protect those he loved, a part of Ray harbored a hatred that would never fade.
Now, though, he could confront that hatred.
He could reveal the suppressed hatred and disdain.
“I…”
Ray smiled at Gregorius, who was about to strike him with a fist.
That mad smile seemed oddly refreshing.
“Hate the disgusting bastard you follow.”
So…
“I’m going to destroy… the world that bastard cultivated.”
Using nothing but…
“The damn bastard’s power given to me.”
He would destroy this messed-up world that irked him.
Perhaps this was what Ray truly desired all along, the longing he had ignored.
“You… made a mistake.”
Crack!
The rampage of the core devouring Ray’s heart wouldn’t stop.
This wasn’t just a simple loss of control—it was a contract, a curse, a bond, and a power tied to El-Lam.
El-Lam’s power spread far and wide, stimulating something distant.
Ray twisted his already distorted lips even further.
Gregorius’ fist descended upon him.
Roaaaaarrrr!!!!!
An immense shockwave crushed Ray’s body.
His already half-collapsed form struggled to withstand Gregorius’ attack.
Still, Ray smiled and stretched his hand upward.
The sacred sword, which had lost its connection, reacted to the spreading power of El-Lam emanating from Ray.
The sacred sword re-detected Ray’s presence, and he clenched the hand he had stretched upward.
“Come… to me.”
The sacred sword was a weapon operating within a perfectly structured system.
Even if the transcendent being who created it tried to intervene, the sword moved independently within its system.
Currently, Ray possessed the highest authority over the sacred sword.
Whoosh!!!
Gregorius launched his second punch, and a beam of light split the sky.
Just as Gregorius’ fist was about to crush Ray, the light beam descended upon him.
Crashhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
Numerous divine barriers crushing Ray shattered instantly.
Gregorius’ massive fist trying to press down on Ray disintegrated into fragments of light.
Gregorius stared in confusion at the sword that had fallen to Ray.
Ray discarded the iron sword he had picked up to cut down Lea and grasped a new one.
“I told you.”
Ray approached Gregorius with an eerie tremble, indistinguishable between sobbing or mocking laughter.
“You… made a mistake.”
Reset to Origin (2)
