Chapter 481. Finis Belli 5
How much time went by?
For well over an hour, a fierce battle took place in the path leading to the imperial capital, Gloria Aeterna.
One dragon was facing off an army of a thousand, a scene truly reminiscent of a legend pa.s.sed down through the ages.
Of course, if Twisted Kindness could triumph, this moment would become a true legend. Unfortunately, she fell short of achieving it.
“Kuk!”
Twisted Kindness spat out blood. Her legs staggered, the back of her head ached, and her brain stung. She had been hit on the back of her head without noticing.
However, she had no time to look back and check or even stand straight. It was because a flurry of attacks poured down the moment she paused briefly.
Even while swaying, Twisted Kindness swung her swords not to be buried by the consecutive attacks. There were four enemies that Twisted Kindness felt threatened from.
The problem was the small attacks that came between each of them. For example, there was a group of four High Rankers, Servants, and the Spirits acting under the Spirit Kings’ command without regard for their lives.
Twisted Kindness was already running low on resources, and these minuscule attacks were no longer negligible.
The attacks of the four threats came smoothly from between these small attacks. When the phoenix shot its sacred flames directly, Eun Yuri’s origin magic would aim for her back, then Baek Haeju and the Seven Sins’ apostles would attack from the sides.
Not even the great Twisted Kindness could do anything in this situation.
Being pushed back repeatedly, she gave up on counterattacking and became busy trying to block the attacks. Even then, her mind reeled from the continued onslaught.
After a certain point, she had to swing her twin swords with cl.u.s.ters of Spirits and vengeful spirits clinging on like vines.
Puk!
She allowed yet another attack to go through. A freezing sensation instantly spread across her back. She lost track of how many times she let it happen.
The next thing she noticed was a blazing longsword striking down at her forehead as if to crack it in half.
“b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”
Twisted Kindness swung her left arm in a fit of anger.
Pk!
The sword in her hand cleanly severed Phi Sora’s arm.
But because it was right after she suffered a blow, her movement had been unnecessarily big. Since she could not afford to counterattack in the first place, doing so created a brief opening.
However, no one thought of this moment as a golden opportunity. If there was one thing they learned from Roselle, it was that an opportunity was created by exploiting the openings and making them bigger.
And so, what Phi Sora and her group-mates did was to cling onto that small opportunity.
“Uk?”
Twisted Kindness suddenly flinched.
Chohong, Hugo, and Vlad Halep. The three of them clung to her left arm. Throwing their weapons away, they only held onto her arm like leeches.
“You…!”
Twisted Kindness did her best to shake them off, but it wasn’t easy. It was because the World Tree and Philip Muller focused their restraints on her left arm.
What surprised Twisted Kindness even more, was that fireflies gathered around the severed surface of Phi Sora’s arm and regenerated it in an instant.
The vengeful spirit unit and the Spirit Realm’s Spirits also prevented her from twisting her body, and the four Valhalla members refused to let go of her arm.
Eventually, Twisted Kindness fiercely attacked with her right arm and forced them to fall back. This only made her shut her eyes.
Her arms, legs, and even her tail had not been enough. So to use her right arm, she had to pay the price elsewhere.
Kw.a.n.g!
As expected, the feeling of her side being torn crept up. Baek Haeju’s reinforced sword qi had hit her immediately.
A soundless groan escaped Twisted Kindness’ mouth. She swayed sideways, and her feet finally left the ground.
A definite opportunity was finally created. The allied force did not miss this chance. All sorts of attacks poured out.
A colorful explosion erupted from Twisted Kindness’ falling body. The light that burst out dyed her body as if to devour her.
Despite this, the attacks continued.
Kw.a.n.g, kw.a.n.g, kw.a.n.g, kw.a.n.g!
Every time she was. .h.i.t, she was pushed back, unable to fall. It was only after she was. .h.i.t with the phoenix’s heavy tackle that she was sent flying back and crashed to the ground.
“Did we get her?”
Chohong said, panting. Hos.h.i.+no Urara, who was about to throw her dagger to confirm the kill, turned to Chohong in a fright.
“...What?”
Chohong, who was wiping her chin with the back of her hand, closed her mouth. It was because she saw Twisted Kindness getting up in the distance. It was right after she hit the ground too.
Of course, she wasn’t in a good state.
“Cough, cough!”
Twisted Kindness spat out another mouthful of blood. Sweat that streamed down from her forehead mixed with blood and soaked her face. Her chest and stomach area were also stained red with blood. Most importantly, her right side was torn and ragged.
As she wiped her b.l.o.o.d.y face, she truly looked like a demon. What was important to note here was that she got up even after suffering such a bombardment of attacks. And it even felt like her energy was getting fiercer.
“This is crazy….”
Oh Rahee murmured with an exhausted look.
“Aaaaaah! Why did you say that!?”
Hos.h.i.+no Urara fixed her grip on her dagger, yelling angrily.
“She’s almost dead! Kill her!”
Teresa also shouted while pointing her sword at Twisted Kindness. As if to respond to her shout, dozens of people rushed in at once.
“...Me?”
At that moment, Twisted Kindness’ vigor surged.
Kw.a.n.g!
Soldiers that foolishly charged in were all blown up. With just a single swing of her longsword, Twisted Kindness had popped their bodies like balloons.
Amidst the flying flesh and blood, Twisted Kindness’ eyes glinted.
“You want to kill me?”
Next, her body emitted a light mixed with a strange heat.
Brilliantly, like a candle blazing its final light.
Twisted Kindness, the strongest Army Commander of the Parasites. The last member of the Dragon race, having survived the war of myths only pa.s.sed down as legends.
“Let’s see you try it!”
Koong!
When Twisted Kindness planted her feet on the ground, the earth cracked open. It was genuinely a terrifying killing intent and pressure.
“Uwaaaaaah!”
Turning pale from the terrifying fear, many unwittingly rushed in with their weapons. They did not even think about running away. They felt like they would go crazy if they did not do at least this.
At that moment, Twisted Kindness spread her arms and strutted out her chest.
Kw.a.n.g!
Divinity burst out from her body, detonating everything in her surroundings. As if that wasn’t enough, it turned into dragon-shaped ma.s.ses and gathered around Twisted Kindness.
“Haaaaaah!”
When she shouted, twelve dragons formed of light shot out in all directions.
Swept away by the storm, Flone screamed and flew backward. Cinzia’s Valkyries also shattered, unable to say a word. Twisted Kindness then grabbed the threads that penetrated through the storm and chucked them far after spinning them around.
Agnes spun in the air before cras.h.i.+ng into Wu Lei, who was swinging his greatsword.
The vengeful spirit unit and the group of Spirits on her body also disappeared. Ifrit and Aqua moved to stop her advance but were shredded apart as well.
Every time Twisted Kindness took a step forward, the earth split, and a storm of light raged in all directions. Anything that entered her range blew up without exception.
Even as this happened, Baek Haeju hid her presence and continued to look for an opportunity to strike.
Twisted Kindness had suddenly regained her energy. Baek Haeju did not think this state would last long.
Their previous attack had definitely been effective. Feeling that her life was at risk, Twisted Kindness must have sc.r.a.ped up every bit of her remaining divinity.
She had lost her cool for the first time in this battle.
‘A little more… just a little more….’
At that moment, she saw the dragons of light spinning around Twisted Kindness becoming fainter.
“Freeze World!”
Eun Yuri’s Final Solo arrived at a timely moment.
Whiiiis.h.!.+
A bitter cold raged in. Trapped in a snowstorm, the dragons froze up and slowed down.
Twisted Kindness also came to a halt while walking forward steadily.
Baek Haeju’s eyes lit up.
‘Now!’
Kicking off the ground, she shot forward like a bullet. She aimed for the opening that was created when Twisted Kindness came to a sudden halt.
However, she realized she was wrong the next moment.
She was right for the most part, but she got the premise wrong. It was true that Twisted Kindness was sc.r.a.ping up every bit of energy left in her, but it was wrong that she lost her cool from rage.
In fact, she was exceedingly level-headed at the moment.
Twisted Kindness turned to the side slightly so that her heart would move to the back. At the same time, she grabbed the twin swords in reverse and cut diagonally.
Twisted Kindness’ cold eyes flashed.
‘Ah.’
Baek Haeju did a double-take, realizing that the enemy’s simple movement had messed up her calculations.
If she at least attacked as she originally planned to, she would have been able to achieve a mutual death. However, when their eyes met, Baek Haeju hesitated.
It was too late to retract the spear she stretched out, and it was also too late to dodge. As Twisted Kindness’ sword neared the tip of Baek Haeju’s nose, Baek Haeju became dazed.
Her mind went blank, and her vision also turned white.
Clang!
Suddenly, an ear-splitting sound rang out.
Craaaaaack!
Something cracked and shattered in front of her as well.
Baek Haeju had no time to figure out what it was. By the time she regained her senses, she only saw her spear shooting straight toward the enemy.
Puk!
A stumpy sensation was transmitted to her hands. Baek Haeju’s eyes lit up. Twisted Kindness was still looking at her with her body half-turned.
For a moment, Baek Haeju froze up from the chilling gaze. Twisted Kindness trembled.
Clang!
The sound of gla.s.s shattering broke out. Next, the arm that aimed for Baek Haeju slowly fell.
And Twisted Kindness...
“....”
...did not move.
Baek Haeju slowly turned her head and saw the remnants of a broken barrier falling down.
Did the barrier somehow succeed in blocking Twisted Kindness’ attack?
Baek Haeju’s blinking eyes caught sight of one person.
Seo Yuhui.
She was breathing heavily with her hands stretched out toward Baek Haeju, holding the Proof of Cast.i.tas in her hands.
A chill ran down Baek Haeju’s back as she subconsciously rubbed her forehead. To think Twisted Kindness would use such a perilous situation as a trap.
A heavy silence flowed in the area. Baek Haeju realized that she was still holding onto her spear. The Tathagata Spear had penetrated the enemy’s heart.
Normally, this would not have been enough as a killing blow. It must only have succeeded because of all the damage that was ama.s.sed until now.
Twisted Kindness no longer moved, but she did not fall either. She was standing in the same position she was a moment ago.
Her eyes were still open.
Gulp. Baek Haeju’s throat drew a small gulp. She felt like Twisted Kindness would come flying at her any second.
Thankfully, that did not happen.
...In reality, Twisted Kindness had been pus.h.i.+ng herself ever since the World Tree finished migrating, and Philip Muller returned to restrain her divinity.
Soon, Baek Haeju could see a bright light erupt in front of her.
Twisted Kindness was peris.h.i.+ng.
When the light subsided, Twisted Kindness was nowhere to be seen. Only a faintly s.h.i.+ning orb remained in her place.
“...Haaaaaa!”
It was only then that everyone let out the breath they’d been holding in. Some of them even collapsed on the ground.
Looking around, Cinzia gave a bitter smile. The two remaining Spirit Kings were gone. No one realized when they had been killed.
The vengeful spirit unit and the army of Spirits that illuminated the sky had almost diminished significantly.
That wasn’t all. Humans had also suffered significant losses. Corpses of the six kingdoms’ soldiers and Earthlings lay everywhere. They looked like a school of fish that had been killed in a ma.s.s oil spill.
‘This much damage even with the World Tree’s healing….’
Everyone thought things would become easier with the World Tree’s revival. But the reality was that they could not let their guard down until the very last moment.
If Twisted Kindness did not gamble with her life, and if Seo Yuhui did not arrive at the perfect moment, then perhaps they might still be in the middle of a fierce battle.
Philip Muller picked up the divinity of Kindness. His hand trembled as he held the orb. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing even after confirming Twisted Kindness’ death.
Agnes sighed and looked around. The battlefield had gotten a lot quieter. The Parasites’ vanguard, two wings, and the center army had collapsed long ago.
It wasn’t as if the battles had ended completely, but it was more or less a one-sided ma.s.sacre. It was because the Parasite Queen was fighting Seol Jihu, and with the annihilation of the Army Commanders and Nests, there were no upper-ranked species left that could control the Parasite army.
It wasn’t as if there weren’t any upper-ranked species left, but there weren’t enough to control the remaining Parasite army.
As such…
Koong, koong, koong…!
At that moment, a thunderous roar rang out from a distance. Everyone turned their gazes and became solemn as if they promised beforehand.
They had finally come this far.
“It’s time.”
Cinzia spoke while preparing a teleportation spell.
“Jihuuuuuuuuu!”
Seo Yuhui hurriedly ran out while cutting through a crowd of people.
“...Looks like she’s excited.”
Cinzia shook her head as she watched Seo Yuhui disappear while shouting, ‘My Jihuuuuuuuu!’
“Rather than doting on him… would it not be an illness?”
Eun Yuri also shrugged while preparing a teleportation spell.
Cinzia grinned.
Perhaps the situation called for a celebration since they just took care of a powerful enemy. But she knew it was too early to open up a champagne bottle.
“There’s only one left now.”
With the final battle left to go, Cinzia spoke just as concisely as always.
“The main force will move first, and the rest will follow afterward.”
In the next moment, more than a dozen people vanished simultaneously.
They had teleported to the location where the Parasite Queen and Seol Jihu’s battle was taking place.
And there….