Chapter 146

“That’s tough…”

Arhen said it was hard to face Aria, yet he couldn’t take his eyes off the heart.

It was clear that his determination to use the heart for something was unwavering.

“With this… I might be able to find it…”

Seeing the tragic sight of the girl’s half-melted corpse, Arhen’s eyes lit up as he moved closer to the heart held in Aria’s right hand.

While covered in a protective barrier to fend off the writhing magic from the surroundings.

“Arhen… Dean…”

For a moment, she seemed to be contemplating what to do, but her statement hinted that she was definitely trying to locate a Demon King Army officer named Maleficent through that heart.

Hadn’t she just said something like that a moment ago? That they would find the location with that heart…?

“…”

Evan wanted to stop her.

If finding it took time… wouldn’t that mean Aria would suffer more during that time? Although he knew rationally that it was better to find the location through that heart and eliminate it for good, he couldn’t shake off those feelings.

However,

“Don’t you want revenge? Against that damned skeleton that made Aria like this.”

“…!”

Revenge.

He knew it was a thought that a hero shouldn’t have, but the moment he heard the word ‘revenge,’ Evan’s eyes widened, lost in thought.

Could it really be okay to do that? Was that truly what Aria wished for?

Caught in indecision, as Arhen got closer to the heart, he began to channel magical power with his hand towards it.

“…”

Should he have stopped it?

Or should they quickly find and kill that Maleficent who had driven Aria to this state?

As Evan imagined slicing up that Demon King Army officer with the Sacred Sword, he shook his head.

But he was somewhat in agreement about finding it.

It was hard to believe that locating it took precedence over treating Aria, but if one could live after shattering the heart, then that was a bigger problem.

Yes, although he didn’t really want to admit it, Arhen the Dean was right.

‘What should I do…’

Evan seriously contemplated.

He knew that trying to stop her wouldn’t be possible, but he couldn’t bear to witness Aria, nearly a corpse, focusing more on finding Maleficent’s location through the heart than treating her.

Evan couldn’t bear to take it in with his eyes.

‘Now that it has come to this…’

Evan gripped the Sacred Sword tightly.

– Evan…

Esther called out to him with a voice filled with concern, but it was already lost on Evan.

Right now, he just had to seize the moment when that Maleficent showed up and deliver a strike with the Sacred Sword.

He wanted to use the skill that had defeated that monster before, but he didn’t know how to use it and it wasn’t an attack suitable for this situation.

Then what should he do?

As he was pondering, a technique suddenly came to Evan’s mind.

A technique that enveloped the sword with powerful divine power, firing off a focused beam.

It wasn’t a technique capable of wide-range attacks that he had casually used back when he didn’t know much about summoning a giant sword from the sky as judgment or the skills of a Hero.

It was a technique that shot forth a blade of purifying divine power at the speed of light.

It was more reasonable to consider it an assassination technique than one aimed at taking down someone.

The skill, the way of channeling divine power, felt incredibly familiar to Evan.

As if it were an extension of himself, he focused the purifying divine power into the Sacred Sword, forming it into a shape.

It was a small blade the same size as the sword, but the power contained within it was anything but ordinary.

‘If this works…’

If he could fire this, that weakened heart…

He thought that he might be able to take down Maleficent, who had revealed itself through Arhen.

“…!!”

At that moment, demons began to gradually reveal themselves toward them.

Low-level demons were basic, and intermediate demons were appearing everywhere.

And then…

“That damned Maleficent…!!”

An upper-level demon appeared in the distance.

Unlike those who had to find his location through the heart, Maleficent could easily determine their locations.

Under his orders, the demons scattered throughout the Academy were gathering to prevent him from locating himself.

“Ugh!”

Arhen, who was reverse calculating through the heart, grimaced.

Of course, the enemy would appear just as he was concentrating all his nerves on the heart.

While he could deal with the lower and intermediate levels, facing upper-level demons was not easy.

Just a little while ago, on the day of the entrance ceremony, it was only because Arhen himself appeared that they could barely capture that demon, which was indeed an upper-level demon.

It became evident how formidable that power was.

Even after casting upper-level magic, upper-level demons remained unscathed.

Considering that upper-level demons require at least first-level magic to inflict significant, serious wounds, it was overwhelming to only face upper-level demons here while lower and intermediate ones were also present.

Arhen clicked his tongue and urgently called out to Stella, Uriel, and Evan.

“Stella, can you help me a bit? Yes, like that… I’ll get close. And…”

Uriel and Evan.

Arhen turned to the two and raised his hand to cast magic.

“[Share your power.]”

The Great Magician of Distortion.

Arhen temporarily paused the reverse calculation and created a kind of connection through magic between Evan and Uriel.

Physical combat with demons was quite difficult.

Even if it were just magic, a professor level could easily subdue low-level demons, but you needed to genuinely confront intermediate demons, and upper-level demons required several professors to even barely defeat.

But the current situation was drastically different.

“I’m sorry… If I stop the reverse calculation here to deal with those demons, I won’t be able to find Maleficent again.”

Arhen said with a genuinely apologetic expression.

If he stopped here, the similarly Great Magician-level Maleficent would surely devise a countermeasure to ensure that he could no longer be located.

If it came to a fight between Great Magicians, the one who diverted their gaze would lose, so intertwining their magical paths was a significant gamble.

Fortunately, perhaps due to Maleficent not being in good shape, the magic didn’t break with just a moment of distraction, but he couldn’t focus elsewhere anymore.

“Uriel… with your current state, you should be able to use Evan’s divine power.”

At Arhen’s words, Uriel looked at her sword in surprise.

Divine power flowed from the great sword she had received from the royal family.

“Please hold on a little longer. I will find it within five minutes.”

Five minutes.

It took five minutes for a timed attack.

Having to endure for five whole minutes against encroaching demons was quite a disheartening thought, but…

“Stella will help you.”

“Y-Yes?! But I…!!”

“It’s fine. I’ll support you. It would be tough on a regular day, but right now, thanks to Aria, he’s significantly weakened. I can surely help you.”

Is that okay?

As those thoughts crossed her mind, the demons had already closed in.

Evan and Uriel stopped worrying and raised their swords toward the demons.

Five minutes.

They only needed to hold on for five minutes.

With Stella’s help, it would surely be possible.

And…

“Something… feels familiar.”

Was it because of the awakening?

For some reason, Uriel felt that even without help, she could sweep them all away.

“Wait a moment.”

I stepped forward, blocking Uriel, and advanced instead.

Unlike usual, now that I had achieved my second awakening and could also use Uriel’s magical power.

If it were now…

“…!”

The divine power-infused blade that had been gathered just moments ago was propelled forth in an instant.

In that fleeting moment.

The blade of divine power shot out at the speed of light, aimed precisely in the direction the upper-level demon was walking.

Eventually…

Pshhh!

“…!!”

With the sound of a flesh-ripping scream, the upper-level demon’s head vanished, and its body collapsed.

Uriel, Stella, and all the demons watching that scene looked on in stunned silence at the fallen upper-level demon.

“Next.”

A cold and heavy sensation.

Evan raised the Sacred Sword horizontally toward the demons and spoke.

– Kie, keek…?

It was the beginning of the slaughter.