331 – Division -4-

The boss’s expression was one of dissatisfaction.

“…”

Although there was a sense of relief, the boss’s expression seemed to ask where I had been and what I had been doing. I scratched the back of my head with an awkward smile.

“I got caught in the middle of it.”

“Caught?”

“…Haha.”

-Let’s start by cleaning up the surroundings.

I smiled awkwardly, thinking about the Apostle of Restraint who had devastated the surroundings of the temple. I didn’t expect the Apostle of Restraint, who was in the final stages of paranoia, to destroy the entire forest.

In response to Malik’s rebuke, I lightly made an excuse and asked how the situation was going. Honestly, I had come in a hurry and hadn’t gathered any information.

“How much damage has been done?”

“Because of the steam, we can’t secure a clear view, so I don’t have exact information, but… it seems about 60% has been affected.”

“Hmm…”

Closing my eyes and sensing the presence, I nodded slightly and spoke to Malik.

“It seems there are no fatalities on our side yet.”

“…That’s good news.”

“There seem to be many injured, though.”

“…”

“First, let’s identify the main forces of the heretics… The boss is handling the Apostle, but where did the other archbishops go?”

Recalling the forgotten memory at the word ‘archbishop,’ Malik spoke in a voice that had lost its composure.

“That’s right…! Hannah, Hannah is in danger!”

“Hannah?”

“Yes! Hannah is in more danger than I am.”

“Oh…”

“Two archbishops went to where Hannah is… She can’t handle it alone.”

I spoke to Malik with an awkward smile.

“Well, boss…”

“We don’t have time for this.”

I looked at Malik, who had his eyes wide open, and smiled awkwardly.

“It’s already been taken care of.”

“What… did you say?”

“They’re doing well on their own.”

“…”

“They seem stronger than the boss.”

“…”

I pointed my finger at a spot where the steam had disappeared. It was the area where the fast exchange of blows was taking place.

– Greed…!!! The route is getting tangled!

– Shut up. It’s because you, ‘Envy’, interfered.

– Shut up and clean your neck. It’s noisy.

Malik watched Hannah’s martial arts, moving swiftly, and thought it was a good decision to step down from the head position. It wouldn’t look good if the head was weaker than the younger sibling.

“Strong.”

“Right?”

“But they might need help.”

“I’ve seasoned it so they can win.”

“Seasoned?”

With a small smile, I flicked my finger, and a red thunderstorm fell on the archbishop’s head, who was confronting Hannah.

– Where are they shooting from…!

– Kill the wizard first…

– The waist is exposed.

– Damn…!

Malik nodded and decided not to question further.

“Just in case, go help them.”

“I should. But are you okay?”

“Hmm…”

I gently pushed Malik behind me and looked at the smoke rising between the lightning.

“Seems like it…”

“…”

– Rumble…!

– Crash!

“I think I’m in more danger.”

“…”

“I thought I’d at least get a scratch, but I’m perfectly fine.”

Despite pouring out so much electricity, how could he still be standing there unscathed? I was in awe of the elf’s magic, which protected his body with an opaque barrier.

“He’s not even a monster.”

I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t even speak.

Stretching, I told Malik to go help the others and not to worry about this place.

“Leave this to me and move on.”

“…Alright.”

-…Twitch

“Why aren’t you going?”

Malik replied with a serious expression.

“I want to watch.”

“…”

“As a swordsman who got beaten by that guy, how can I not want to see this?”

“Are you really going to stay and watch?”

“No. I think I’ll have to run away if it looks like I’m going to die.”

Malik sighed deeply, filled with regret, and lowered his head.

“If we fight again next time, I’ll make sure to show you.”

“Puhaha! Is this a circus?”

“Hmm…”

Malik grabbed my shoulder tightly.

“Father is coming.”

“…”

“Just hold on a little longer.”

“Why do you say such disappointing things?”

I smiled as I gathered aura into my sword.

“I’m going to win.”

The elf’s green eyes were glowing blue. And as Malik took a step, something was rapidly approaching, cutting through the smoke.

An arrow.

An arrow imbued with explosive magic.

The elf’s arrow was swiftly approaching to cut off Malik’s breath. I took a light breath and moved my sword quickly.

The moment the arrow touched Tyrving.

-Swooosh…

The elf’s pupils widened greatly.

“!”

“Go.”

“I almost died.”

“Am I not here?”

I lightly shook off my tingling hand and slowly approached the elf.

“Then, shall we see?”

“…”

“How skilled the legendary elf is.”

If possible.

“…”

I wanted to eliminate variables.

*

Malik gasped.

Watching the fight between Ricardo and the apostle.

-Clang!

-Kakakakakakak!!!

-Kakakakakak…! Clang!

He couldn’t capture it with his eyes. By the time he barely caught Ricardo’s movement stepping on the ground, Ricardo was already thrusting his sword at the elf.

When the elf started mumbling to use magic, Ricardo closed the distance in an instant, disrupting the spell.

“Καταραμένος ⲟⲩⲱⲛ ⲛ̄ⲣⲱⲙⲓ! (Damn human!)”

When the elf tried to widen the distance to shoot an arrow, Ricardo closed the distance again, not giving any space.

The elf, who endured that offensive, was quite remarkable. But Ricardo, who was facing him.

“Hoo.”

Looked like a monster.

Ricardo’s sword had a relaxed air, as if he was sparing the elf. How much more would he grow to show such prowess?

Malik sighed and looked at Hannah. Now, instead of cheering for Ricardo, he had to help Hannah.

“…”

But.

-Kaang…!

He’s my brother, but he’s amazing.

There’s no gap to intervene.

Malik spat out a sigh as he watched Hannah.

Hannah’s entire body was covered in wounds. Small cuts filled her body, and the long wound on her thigh looked quite deep. The shallow wound on her side indicated that there had been a moment in this battle when her life was in danger.

Judging by the wounds alone, it seemed like Hannah was being pushed back.

“She’ll become a monster.”

Hannah’s eyes were filled with the certainty of victory. Like a wild beast.

To prove it, the archbishop’s body was covered in large wounds. The smile that had been full of leisure had long since faded, and they were nervously watching each other.

-Archbishop of Envy. You become the prey. I’ll cut her neck in the meantime.

-Shut up, Greed.

The problem wasn’t just their mismatched breathing.

The biggest reason was that Hannah’s martial prowess far exceeded their expectations. It wasn’t just one, but two of them.

It was strange that an archbishop, who could annihilate a company-level unit single-handedly, was being pushed back by a mere academy student.

No matter how much Ricardo helped to seize the victory, it was undeniable that it was due to Hannah’s martial prowess.

“Haa…”

Hannah closed her eyes.

To imitate the woman she had seen in her vision.

-Kill.

-Shut the mouth of those who ignore you.

-Kill.

She was recalling the swordsmanship of the woman who had wielded her sword without hesitation, with a tyrannical and unhesitating blade.

The sword that, once drawn, would always hit its mark.

“…”

She was mimicking it exactly.

She couldn’t follow it perfectly, but she was trying to imitate it as closely as possible. And to catch up with the ultimate form of the sword optimized for her body.

When Hannah faced her father, she recalled the memory of the woman she had shown and gripped her sword.

A little faster.

-Saaak.

A bit more concisely.

-Swik.

And with a selfish heart.

-Seog.

He was cutting down the enemy in front of him.

Malik watched Hannah in silence. He felt that if he intervened now, he would only be a burden. Even though he could certainly seize the victory if he stepped in right away, Malik just watched, gripping his anxious legs, as Hannah’s level rose steeply.

“Is she gaining enlightenment?”

‘I think I know.’

‘Why that woman is so strong.’

‘Even though we are the same, I think I now understand why she is insanely strong and terrifying.’

Every time she swung her sword, for some reason, a wave of sadness washed over him. An uncontrollable emptiness and rage boiled up madly, crashing down without rest.

He didn’t know the reason.

He couldn’t define this feeling.

But one thing was certain.

This anger.

“Haa…”

It felt like it was directed at himself.

A moment thick with regret.

“Histania Il Sik.”

That emotion.

*

A massive force was approaching.

The pagan who had been striding across the battlefield looked up at the moonlit sky, overwhelmed by the moment’s pressure.

The elf, who was also confronting him, glanced at the sky once at the force shaking the battlefield and gritted his teeth.

“Hypocrite Metom! (Hypocrite!)”

A dot.

A very small dot.

A figure holding the sky began to draw a huge horizontal line in the sky with a cold expression.

The lion has arrived.

– Rumble, rumble, rumble.

In this battlefield, a lion that no one can meet eyes with.

The elf who turned around glared at me once and spoke in a cold voice.

“Ἐὰν ὑποστῆτε, ἀποκτενῶ ὑμᾶς. (I’ll kill you next time we meet.)”

I smiled faintly and shrugged. With a smile she couldn’t read.

“You’re welcome.”

As the elf’s figure disappeared with the darkness, light began to pour down from the sky with a low voice.

“Histania Il Sik.”

The master of the battlefield has arrived.

“Nameless (無名).”

– Crash, crash, crash!!!

Roaring as it spoke.