The Barren Plains were engulfed in a blizzard.
This was evidence that the retinue of the Dark Deity had descended. The Demon Realm was a world of eternal winter, so whenever a passage to that place opened, snow and wind would batter down.
It was already cold and dry in the Northern Region.
The snowfield, heavily covered in the eternal snow of the Demon Realm, was bizarrely white. A world where everything was bleached felt so alien.
And the flesh piles that covered the distant horizon.
The bubbling flesh piles were spewing endless rays of light. Perhaps due to the excessive proliferation of snake heads, their power had diminished, but it was still enough to take someone’s life.
Perhaps now, no one dared to provoke the flesh monsters.
The rays expelled by the snakes were directed towards the sky. Columns of light pierced the gray world one after another.
It was as if the sky might open up.
It could have been a reflection of the hatred towards the Heavenly Deity.
With every breath I took, white mist scattered. Behind me, a girl who had shrunk into herself stood silently.
She was a stunning beauty with dark blue hair and gray eyes.
The flower of the Imperial Court, Imperial Princess Sien.
Since I returned, she hadn’t even made eye contact with me. The guilt that had been absent for some time now surfaced in her gray pupils.
And there was even a strange sense of defeat.
I didn’t purposely pry into her detailed circumstances.
The princess would speak first when the time was right.
Until then, I intended to respect her will as much as possible.
“Sir Ian… Can I be of help? That monster is too big…”
“You just need to contact me in time.”
I gently placed a small stone in the princess’s hand.
It was a communication device I received from Senior Neoris. It reacted to the magical script engraved behind my ear, allowing communication from a distance.
As convenient as it was, it was an expensive and precious device.
However, the Imperial Court was behind me. At least within the Empire, there weren’t many things that couldn’t be done with blood runes.
The princess still displayed hesitance but accepted the device with a struggling nod.
The one standing behind me was not just the princess.
“Ian, we are ready.”
Her voice sounded quite sulky.
When I glanced over, there stood the Virgin Saint with a sulky expression. It was no different from directly violating the promise made a few days ago, so her anger was justified.
I found myself at a loss for words.
But what could I do?
I had a task to complete.
It was an opportunity to resolve the long-standing conflict between humanity and the elves, and to console the spirits buried in hatred.
I was not the only one fit for this task. Nevertheless, I was certain that this path was right.
I forced a bitter smile and said.
“Thank you for playing along, Lady Virgin Saint.”
“Tch, insincere words.”
She tossed out that sarcastic remark with a pout.
I wore a more awkward expression, but this was the farewell place.
I couldn’t maintain a facade of anger until the end.
Ultimately, the Virgin Saint grabbed my hand tightly with a worried look in her eyes.
“I will definitely collect this debt. You know that, right? I won’t let you take a loss… So, come back alive.”
“There’s no way this bond will go bankrupt, so rest assured.”
I responded with an air of bravado.
Truthfully, I was apprehensive about how the Virgin Saint would collect her debt.
However, I had already accrued countless debts with her, and I couldn’t refuse if she asked for help.
It was better to soothe the Virgin Saint’s heart like this.
Next was the final order.
Ceria was looking anxious.
“Senior Ian… It’ll be okay, right? No, it has to be okay. I will definitely protect you, Senior Ian.”
A faint glow of madness flickered in her bright blue pupils. Her fingers, curling and uncurling, represented her heart’s turmoil.
She seemed as if she wanted to grab and confine me.
I nearly laughed, then stopped myself.
Suddenly, the bloody letter came to mind.
And the secrets entangled with Ceria’s birth.
I felt as though my smile might vanish at any moment. I forced my lips to curl upward and patted Ceria’s shoulder, gazing into her unshaded eyes.
At my touch, Ceria snapped back to consciousness.
A light gasp escaped her lips.
It was then that I got to the point.
“The army?”
“Ah, yes! It’s ready! My sister has entrusted me with full authority…”
“Thanks for that.”
With that, my body launched off the ground.
I zipped through the landscape. The paths leading forward converged on a single target.
The flesh mass far away.
It wouldn’t take long for the unrestrained mass to notice the ideal.
Accelerate, accelerate, and accelerate again.
With every stride I took, my speed increased. The gaze of more snake heads that watched me from the boiling flesh also grew.
It was a gruesome sight.
Dozens, hundreds, possibly thousands of snakes stared at me.
It was truly the worst.
Instead of a greeting, I threw my hand axe.
With a sharp sound, a silver line crossed the gray air.
The snake heads did not react even until blood burst forth. The axe blade, thrown at such speed, did not lose its intensity.
One, two, three.
No, even more snake heads exploded one after another, splattering blood and flesh. When the power of the hand axe began to weaken, I added more force in a straight direction with a fluid motion.
Blood erupted as if a line was drawn in the world.
Only then did the monsters scream.
Kieeeek!
They could have been startled by the sudden assault, but the snakes were quick to react. It seemed that having so many heads improved their response time.
Though the overall power felt diminished.
Compared to the snakes made by elves with ‘blessings,’ they were incredibly weak.
It seemed that whatever they swallowed, the level of the snake they could create was limited.
That was good news for me.
The silver aura surrounding my sword began to blaze fiercely. A growing mass of light was on the verge of crystallization.
It was a signal that the aura was blossoming.
Just one small step and a chance would suffice.
I concealed my increasing impatience as I twisted the sword.
In response, beams of light drew straight lines as they vibrated lightly.
A snake’s skull burst forth in explosive light.
However, their first assault did not yield particularly good results.
I had already familiarized myself with countermeasures in advance.
Vision Phase ‘Yield.’
The trick of one of the three Masters existing in this era was being demonstrated from far away in the North.
Kieeeek!
Kyaahhhhh!
With the scream, the surrounding snake heads vanished in an instant.
Some attempted to retaliate with their rays, but most ignited when the beams swept through a fan-shaped area.
Flames engulfing the blizzard.
Even so, it was still insufficient.
There were simply too many snake heads. Even with slight time differences, the simultaneous rays being fired numbered in the dozens.
It was impossible to deflect each one.
That was why I had a plan ready.
“…Lady Virgin Saint!”
I didn’t know if my cry reached her.
However, I witnessed the scene I had been hoping for at just the right moment.
Divine light bullets filling the sky white.
It was the army of the Holy Kingdom that had come personally to the North after the connection between elves and the Dark Cult was revealed.
Under normal circumstances, they should have been fighting on the front lines. However, after I persuaded the Virgin Saint, they agreed to support me from the rear today.
Even if it was merely rear support, the army of the Holy Kingdom was powerful.
Moreover, the opponent was the retinue of the Dark Deity, the flesh monster that had no choice but to scream through its snakes.
Even if some survived, they were no match for me.
And thus, after hours of cutting, crushing, and killing while advancing.
I pushed back my blood-soaked bangs. The sound of my labored breathing and the pounding of my heart echoed in my head.
At the end of my gaze stood the one I had searched for so desperately.
A middle-aged man whose lower half had merged with the flesh mass.
As soon as he sensed my presence, his eyes widened.
“Oh, how hateful… The society of the strong devouring the weak and the landscape of barbarism! The exploitation structure of the weak by the privileged! And all of you!”
His pupils, devoid of life, blazed with a golden light.
“Ian Fercurus… I can smell the thick scent of blood! How much blood do you have on your hands? The blood of those forsaken by the world!”
It was Leorick.
Only then did I burst into laughter.
I truly wanted to meet him desperately.
“Long time no see, you bastard.”
A blood-soaked smile persisted.
The Yuridina Castle was quiet, with all the retainers and soldiers deployed.
The quiet castle felt like a ruined structure in the blizzard. Its mere existence created a somber and desolate atmosphere.
Inside, stood two figures in one of the few places still holding warmth.
An aged man had his back turned to the woman. Despite the fierce blizzard pounding against the window, he gazed out at the unseen landscape beyond.
After a long silence, the old man spoke.
“What is it?”
His blood-red pupils glanced backward.
There stood a woman with the same blood-red eyes.
“…My daughter.”
Marquess Yuridina and Delphine Yuridina.
It was a night-time reunion of father and daughter.
