novelraw Chapter 340 : Ominous Star
Chapter 340 : Ominous Star
Pitter-patter...
The black blood that had shot upwards rained down, and the bisected Black Rock collapsed.
I looked at the crackling yellow two-handed sword in his grasp.
It was a sword that looked as if it had been forged in a celestial smithy, catching a passing lightning bolt and hammering it with thunder.
To think that with such a magnificent sword, he could only draw out that much power.
Is this why they say a craftsman doesn't blame his tools?
I had a feeling that if it had fallen into Guston's hands, it would have split the heavens and the earth.
I realized that it was important whose hands a good weapon fell into.
'...Did they intentionally give it to an incompetent fellow?'
Such a thought briefly crossed my mind, but I shook my head and brushed it away.
It was nonsense.
There was no reason to give such a precious sword to a worthless fellow.
These guys must have put in a considerable effort to obtain this sword as well.
Anyway, I snatched the yellow sword that had met an unworthy master.
Then, a hearty laugh echoed in my head.
[Hahaha! What a fiery fellow! As expected of someone acknowledged by the Father!]
This one seemed to be the owner of a rather cool and refreshing personality.
But the magical beasts were not gentlemanly enough to wait for me to have a conversation with this fellow, so I continued the conversation while swinging the yellow sword around.
"Nice to meet you. You must have had a hard time meeting an unworthy master."
Every time I swung the sword, lightning flashed and the magical beasts burned to a crisp.
[Ah, it was terrible. That blockhead of a fellow wouldn't answer no matter how many times I spoke to him, and he had no flexibility whatsoever. He was a foolish fellow who couldn't even draw out half of half of my abilities. It was no fun.]
"I thought so."
[O master of the nine-colored swords. Is now the time?]
"It is."
Chijijik!
When I swung the sword, the lightning that shot out from the tip pierced through the magical beasts and scorched the ground black.
[Ooh, it hasn't even been 10 seconds since you obtained me, yet you use my abilities more skillfully than my previous master. Have you no thought of becoming my master?]
I cut down the rushing magical beasts and searched for someone in the chaotic battlefield.
Fortunately, thanks to the flashing light, it wasn't too difficult to find her.
"That would be difficult."
The fellow clicked his tongue as if disappointed.
[A pity.]
"I'll give you to a good master, so don't worry."
Jjejeong!
I summoned lightning to pulverize all the magical beasts blocking my path, then rushed towards the blonde knight who was flashing around in the distance, busy moving here and there.
At the same time, I pushed back the crackling, busily moving dark bracelet and looked inside.
A bright yellow band was engraved in the empty space.
As soon as I confirmed it, I shouted.
"Sir Ashley!"
Sir Ashley, who had just pierced through a rushing magical beast with a flash, looked this way.
I skipped the explanation and threw the sword at her.
Catch!
[Hahahaha! Well then, I wish you good luck!]
As the fellow's laughter faded, the bright yellow two-handed sword flew, spinning round and round.
Sir Ashley saw the large two-handed sword flying towards her and took a step back.
Thud!
Ashley looked at the two-handed sword stuck in the ground, crackling like lightning, and then at me.
"No, why didn't you catch it..."
Whether she heard my muttering or not.
Ashley cut down a rushing magical beast and asked me with her eyes.
'Why this?'
But I was a busy person myself, so I didn't have time to explain everything from one to ten.
"Use that!"
I shouted just that and threw myself towards the pouring magical beasts.
Of course, I knew that Ashley used a light and slender smallsword, a rapier.
But I couldn't find anyone more suitable for that weapon than her, so I just threw it to her for now.
She'll figure it out.
—Kwaaaang!
Seogeok!
With such a somewhat irresponsible thought, I cut through the waves of oncoming magical beasts and advanced towards the center.
Finally, all nine colors were gathered.
'Now, will the rainbow bloom?'
I glanced at the dark bracelet.
But it remained as silent as before.
'Will the rainbow bloom at the necessary moment?'
With that expectation in my heart, I advanced into the waves.
When I suddenly raised my head and looked at the sky, a whitish mist was being sucked into the center of the black thread connecting the black sky and the earth at a terrifying speed.
***
Kieeeek!
Thud! Kugoong! Kwang!
Kyaaaaak!
Kuwooo!
"Block them!"
"Raise your shields!"
"Fight back!"
Behind the front line, the allied forces of the three kingdoms were fighting fiercely against the pouring magical beasts.
It was a battle of blocking versus breaking through.
"Everyone! Keep it up!"
On the left side of the battlefield, the moon raised by Cyrilla, the Saintess of Light and Darkness, was casting a gentle light, illuminating friend and foe.
"Brothers! Fulfill your duty as fragments of light! This is when we shine the brightest!"
On the right side, the dazzling sun summoned by the Hero of Light, Lasol, was looking down on the battlefield.
Although they were celestial bodies with different divine powers, their effects were similar.
Courage and strength to allies, weakening and fear to enemies.
"Wooooooh!"
"Don't retreat a single step!"
"Fight to the end!"
"The Father is watching!"
The knights and soldiers, empowered by the divine power, fought back bravely against the vicious magical beasts without retreating.
The priests were not idle either.
They brought the continuous stream of wounded to the rear and poured out potions and blessings without restraint.
At the very center of that fierce battle was Ashuban, the captain of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps.
He was advancing against the endless waves of pouring magical beasts.
Chwaak!
When he swung his sword, dozens of magical beasts were cut in half.
Hwareureuk!
When he threw fire, the magical beasts, in their agony, got entangled with each other and spread the blue flames.
Thud!
When he stomped his foot hard, the ground shook and the magical beasts got tangled up and fell over each other.
Kiyaak!
When he was surrounded by cunning magical beasts,
Tadat!
He easily escaped by walking as if flying through the air.
His wind-like movements, which seemed catchable but were not, brought despair to the magical beasts.
It was truly an unstoppable force.
No matter how strong a magical beast came, it was cut down in a single blow, and it was useless to try to push him back with numbers.
He was the sharp reef itself, parting the waves as he advanced.
When they collided with him, a wave of blood surged.
The place he was heading to was where the sky and the earth were connected by a black thread.
To bring an end to everything.
There, the Dark Heaven Lord was looking up at the gradually gathering last breath of the Evil God.
"It's almost here..."
Soon, the Dark Heaven Lord lowered his head and looked at the battlefield teeming with magical beasts and the soldiers fighting against them.
There was someone who stood out at once.
He was walking this way, parting the waves of magical beasts.
Thousands of magical beasts were not a major obstacle to him.
"Hahaha!"
Seeing that wondrous sight, the Dark Heaven Lord, Yuri, burst out laughing.
"Ashuban, you are truly... amazing."
The Dark Heaven Lord could not stop laughing.
"Hahahaha! Hahahahaha!"
It was a strange laugh, bitter, yet relieved, yet as if wailing.
It was then.
From above, a cracking sound was heard.
A pitch-black hole appeared amidst the hazy mist.
From within that hole.
Two blood-red hands, as if covered in blood, shot out and forcibly tore open the hole.
Kwajik!
As if space had cracked, numerous fissures appeared in the surroundings.
Seeing that, the Dark Heaven Lord spread his arms and shouted.
"Behold! It is the Father! It is our death!"
The demon followers who shared his vision cheered and muttered prayers.
"Ooooh!"
"Finally!"
"Chaos descends...!"
"The Dark Heaven arrives!"
The Dark Heaven Lord muttered as he watched the Evil God forcibly tearing open the passage.
"I am finally free from the madness."
However, due to the persistent interference of Ashuban and the Sherwood Mercenary Corps, the sacrifices and black mana were severely lacking, making it an incomplete summoning ritual.
The Evil God's form was also not complete.
The passage that had just been barely created was too small for the Evil God to cross, so he was forcibly tearing it open.
And the hands that were tearing open the passage were missing a few fingers.
"Ooooh, fallen divinity...!"
"Bring down heavenly punishment upon the unbelievers...!"
"Please, bring despair, despair, despair to those struggling, insignificant beings...!"
However, even with such an incomplete form, the Evil God was displaying an absolute divine authority.
To the point where a mere human could not help but kneel and bow their head.
There was an absolute conviction that if he crossed the passage and descended to the ground, the power of insignificant creatures would not be able to stop his steps.
Then, the Dark Heaven Lord, who had lowered his head, caught sight of the being who was turning the entire battlefield red and climbing against the waves.
Just then, their eyes met.
Clear, and red.
Although they were so far apart that their eyes were barely visible, the Dark Heaven Lord felt as if he were being pierced by those blood-red eyes.
That's how murderous and terrifying his gaze was.
Yuri gave a dry laugh.
"Haha..."
But Yuri did not avoid his gaze.
He just stared into his eyes and laughed.
Then he whispered softly.
"O one who cannot be called. It seems, a little more time is needed."
The Dark Heaven Lord was connected to the Evil God through the black thread connected above his head.
The Dark Heaven Lord's will was transmitted to the Evil God.
The Evil God stopped forcibly tearing open the passage and cut off two of his own fingers.
Thud! Kugoong!
The Evil God's two giant fingers, which fell to the ground, crushing magical beasts, wriggled as if alive and then split into four pieces.
Each piece wriggled like blood and took shape, transforming into a vicious-looking magical beast.
—————————!!
At the roar of one of the beasts, the area collapsed, and the surrounding magical beasts fell, spewing blood from all their orifices.
As beasts born directly from the Evil God's divine body, they possessed a more vicious and powerful force than any other magical beast.
Those demon-like figures rushed towards the red-eyed judge who was slaughtering their kind.
The distance, which was by no means close, was narrowed in an instant.
And there were those who rushed towards those beasts of the Evil God like comets.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Kwang!
A knight of light, who fell with wings of dazzling radiance, blocked their path.
Thwak!
A huge greatsword that had appeared out of nowhere sent one of them flying back.
"Agh, so damn heavy."
Wooooo!
A giant turquoise hand that fell from the sky with a sinister, eerie sound crushed one of the remaining three.
"Heave-ho!"
Kwaaaaaang!!
A sword energy resembling the sunset flew and exploded spectacularly.
Hwareureuk!
Flickering crimson flames denied their approach.
They were the Eight Sword Masters who had each defeated an S-rank magical beast.
"Big brother! We're here!"
Bjoern stood by his side.
"Hoo, these guys look quite interesting."
The nine-tailed fox passed by Ashuban, flashing a seductive smile.
"...Annoying."
The Knight of Frost, who had appeared behind Ashuban, stared at the newly appeared magical beasts with a blank expression.
Ashuban grinned at them.
"You think you're the only ones with friends? I have friends too."
Kwang!
Lasol swung her dazzlingly shining sword and shouted.
"Ashuban! Go! We'll take care of this place!"
Ashuban looked at the woman who was the last of the dragon clan and had the moniker of the Red Witch.
Scarlet met his eyes and smiled brightly.
"Go on."
Nod.
Ashuban did not hesitate and immediately ran to Guston.
"Captain!"
Guston glanced at him and lowered his greatsword.
Ashuban immediately jumped up and stood on it.
"Hold on tight."
Hwoooong!!
Guston swung the greatsword with all his might.
Like a cannon firing, Ashuban was launched towards the blackened sky at a tremendous speed.
Swish!
The magical beasts that had split from the Evil God's flesh stretched out their legs.
"Haap!"
When Bjoern swung his purple sword and let out a kiai, Ashuban's form flickered for a moment and then split into three.
The power of the purple sword, Purple, a tangible illusion.
Excluding the beast crushed by Elsbears' Hand of the Reaper, the other three stretched out their legs towards the flying Ashuban.
Two of them grabbed the illusions, and the remaining one stretched out its sharp claws towards the real body.
It was the one that had been hit by Guston's greatsword and sent flying back.
Just as he was about to be caught in its claws and torn to shreds, the magical beast's claws stopped a hand's breadth away.
The magical beast's foot was frozen solid in pale blue ice.
The Knight of Frost, who had somehow gotten behind the magical beast, gave a nod to Ashuban, who had become a red meteor streaking across the sky.
His eyes were still the same icy blue.
Ashuban grinned.
All of this happened in an instant.
Swish!
The red meteor flew across the black sky.
And then, it drew a parabola and fell.
Kwaaaaaang!!
The point where the shooting star fell was in front of the altar where the Dark Heaven Lord was.
Pitter-patter...
The red-eyed judge stood up.
He raised his head and looked at the traitor standing on the altar.
"...Oh dear."
The Dark Heaven Lord, Yuri, lamented as he met his eyes.
His eyes seemed to be burning red.
"An ominous star has fallen."
Thud!
At the same time, one of the Evil God's giant fingers fell between them.
It was the thumb.
The finger, which was bubbling like boiling, sticky blood, instantly split into three joints, and three ominous beasts surrounded him.
Ashuban, surrounded by the three ominous beasts, realized that the time had finally come.
Ashuban quietly closed his eyes.
Hwiooong—
The wind began to rise.
Kiyaak! Kkuaak!
It became a storm that sounded like someone's scream.
Kwaaaaa!!
It became a mad wind.
Ashuban opened his eyes.
Flinch!
The ominous beasts that had surrounded him took a step back without realizing it.
Ashuban, feeling the surroundings turning red, raised his head.
Giiiiiiing—!!
An eerie sound rang in his ears, and a blood-red moon rose.
Ashuban laughed like a ghost.
"Ah, the smell of moonlight."
(End of Chapter)