Chapter 221 : Ribenia Anti-Demon War (2)
Chapter 221: Ribenia Anti-Demon War (2)
Boom!
Boooom!
While swiftly swinging her halberd, Karen drove blood-red spikes up from the ground, preventing the enemy from advancing even a single step.
Betty Scarletwood, who had joined her, did the same. She disrupted the enemy with an endless mass of wooden vines before hurling gigantic tree trunks at them, forcing them to focus solely on defense.
Together, the two of them had effectively sealed off roughly 300 meters.
Had they not been two Executors who had fought together for so long that they knew each other like their own bodies, they probably couldn't have achieved even this much.
Even so, the situation showed no signs of improving.
The time Eugene Carter had managed to hold Mastema off alone had been just over thirty minutes.
The fact that he had stood alone against an SS-Rank Monster Beast—one known as the King of Beasts—was enough to prove his ability beyond any doubt.
But now that the balance on the Front Line had collapsed, someone had to take Eugene Carter's place and stand against that monster.
Fortunately, the two women assessed the situation quickly and accurately.
They left the S-Rank Monster Beasts to the First-Rank Believers and focused solely on stopping Mastema.
At the same time, they never stopped searching for its weakness.
No matter how powerful a Beast was, it always had a weak point. The orthodox approach was usually to target its core, the equivalent of its heart.
Aside from walking on two legs, it was difficult to even call the creature humanoid, but its core was generally located in its chest. That was true both from experience and from accumulated data.
That was why Karen had continuously targeted that exact spot.
Unfortunately...
She could not leave even the slightest scratch on its outer shell.
Even Karen found the sight deeply bewildering.
'...No matter how powerful a Beast is, it makes no sense for it to remain completely unharmed by attacks of this magnitude.'
Part of it was her nature, but Karen had also devoted herself to the Orthodox Church for many years despite her fanatical faith.
Humility and objective self-assessment were second nature to her, which meant her judgment was highly reliable.
Considering all the countless Beasts she had fought until now, along with her most recent experience against an SS-Rank Monster Beast, she could only arrive at one conclusion.
'...Is it somehow reducing the power of our attacks through another method?'
Indeed, despite possessing overwhelming defensive power, Davios of Slaughter had adopted a strategy of using Slaughter Field to minimize damage to its own body.
The origin of all magic lay in the abilities of Beasts, and humans could never surpass Beasts in mana control efficiency.
Especially SS-Rank Monster Beasts, whose mana control efficiency exceeded ninety-nine percent.
Mastema was incomparably more cunning and cautious than Davios.
If anyone could accomplish such a feat, it would be that monster.
Simply by manipulating its mana differently...
It might be drastically reducing the power of their attacks.
"...Then we'll simply have to do the opposite."
Without taking her eyes off the enemy, Karen exchanged glances with Betty, silently conveying her intentions.
They had fought side by side countless times.
As long as they shared the same objective, they could move as one without speaking.
"......"
"......"
The two carefully watched their surroundings, waiting for the perfect moment.
Then they charged simultaneously toward Mastema from opposite sides, tracing identical paths.
Booooom!
And then—
The shield that blocked the halberd, the crimson spikes, and even Betty's full-powered straight punch completely shattered everyone's expectations and hopes.
Creeeak... Creeeak...!
"H... How...!"
"Humans are always mistaken."
Because...
The shield Mastema had deployed was identical in form to the barriers used by human mages.
Those capable of wielding mana were called mages.
Every human possessed at least a small amount of mana throughout their body.
That meant every human had the potential to become a mage.
Or perhaps...
Humans themselves were mages.
Naturally, differences still existed among them.
Those who possessed greater mana reserves, could increase them more easily, recovered mana more quickly, wielded it more skillfully, or consumed it more efficiently naturally stood closer to the pinnacle.
Then...
Could Beasts also be considered first-rate mages?
After all, from the moment they were born, they possessed mana control efficiency far beyond anything humans could match.
The answer humanity had given to that question lay in magical formulas.
Beasts had no concept of formulas.
Because formulas existed, humans only needed to learn standardized methods to cast magic.
The reason Secret Magic was called "secret" was precisely because it lacked standardized formulas.
In that sense, most Beast abilities could also be considered Secret Magic.
Beasts could not understand formulas.
Humans could.
Most conventional magic and Divine Magic of the current era could only be cast through formulas.
Therefore, it was impossible for Beasts to use human magic.
That was humanity's common sense.
Their pride.
Although both sides shared the same origin, Beasts could neither apply nor develop it.
Humanity, on the other hand, had desperately refined and advanced it until reaching its current level.
And yet...
That very belief had just been completely overturned.
By the enemy leader—
Mastema of Hatred.
Witnessing the unbelievable scene from afar, Gustav and Meriel cried out in shock simultaneously.
"That... is actually possible...?"
"That's just unfair! How can a Beast use human magic...?!"
The confusion experienced by the two Executors fighting Mastema directly was even greater.
Though they quickly regained their composure...
That alone did nothing to reverse the situation.
After blasting both women away with a shockwave, Mastema looked at the stunned humans and sneered.
"Surely you didn't believe this pitiful power belonged exclusively to your kind? Truly?"
"......"
"Did you really think something as trivial as formulas could allow you to stand against us Beasts, chosen by the Creator? If so... then you are truly fools."
Spreading both arms wide, the monster declared with a sinister smile.
"Whether it is formations, formulas, mana control, or physical ability... there is not a single thing in which you surpass us."
As dozens of magic circles began spreading around Mastema...
Karen silently watched before stepping forward once more.
"...Perhaps you're right."
"Sister Karen..."
"But then... what is it that has allowed us to survive until this very moment?"
In truth...
Even Karen herself did not know the answer.
That day...
After suffering her first humiliating defeat against Eugene Carter, Francia Brida, and Rubia Magnus...
She had never once answered the woman's voice that echoed in her ears whenever she was close to forgetting.
Karen Rosefield.
A pitiful child who believed she was unworthy because she destroyed those precious to her with her own hands.
Yet because those hands were stained with blood, you have earned the right to wield your power.
If there now exists someone you wish to protect...
Even if you must rely upon the very power you hated and cursed...
Then your will to protect shall manifest through the exclusion of your enemies.
I, Akasha...
Guardian Deity of Blood and Dark Mage...
Swear in the name of Abrel...
That I shall become the blade that tears apart every one of your enemies and protect both you and those under your care.
Karen had always believed she wasn't ready to answer those words.
That was why she had deliberately ignored them.
She feared confronting her own sins.
She feared that responding to that voice would mean acknowledging her crimes.
So she shut her eyes...
And closed her ears.
But now...
The time had finally come.
No matter what she heard afterward...
No matter how others judged her...
She no longer cared.
"To fight in order to protect someone..."
She had never once entertained such a thought before.
But now...
She felt she could.
She felt she could trust them.
She felt she could stake everything she had...
And swear to stand against the enemy.
"I, Karen Rosefield, successor of Akasha, seek your power."
Raising her halberd high into the air, Karen shouted toward her long-time companion.
"Grant me the power to punish them!"
At that moment...
The mana surging throughout her entire body began transforming once again.
Of all the extraordinary things Karen Rosefield had ever displayed...
This was by far the most extraordinary.
The mana surrounding her entire body transformed into crimson mist that drifted around her.
She had not spilled buckets of blood.
She had not activated a special technique.
She had not been injured.
Nor had she lost consciousness.
Witnessing the transformation from right beside her, Betty Scarletwood muttered in disbelief.
"...Complete Holy Descent."
Meanwhile...
Her opponent, Mastema of Hatred, neither mocked nor expressed surprise.
It merely stared at her expressionlessly.
"......"
Without another word, Mastema charged straight at Karen.
Karen answered by swinging her halberd.
Attempting to dodge the blade and slip into an opening with agile movements...
Mastema was suddenly blasted backward by a tremendous impact.
Francia and Rubia, who were watching from nearby, clearly saw what had happened.
The very instant Mastema's body touched the crimson mist surrounding the halberd...
It was violently repelled.
"...Amazing."
The composition of her mana had completely changed.
Previously, the mana circulating through Karen's body had simultaneously enhanced her defense and regenerative ability through its astonishing circulation speed.
But the mana composing that crimson mist now...
It was unbelievably calm.
At least on the surface.
"...Every single particle is rotating independently."
"At an incredible speed."
Karen Rosefield's naturally extraordinary physical abilities had never been related to Holy Descent.
Akasha's power had merely allowed her to maximize her body's natural potential.
In a sense...
She had still been an incomplete successor.
And now...
She had finally bloomed.
"...We should be grateful she's on our side."
"...Indeed."
Watching Karen launch her renewed assault, the two women found their own determination burning even brighter.
And they weren't the only ones whose morale had been reignited.
"Executor Karen is standing against Mastema! We can win this war!"
"For the people of Ribenia! Don't give up even a single step, Dellowell!"
"WAAAAAAAH—!"
Because Karen had repeatedly managed to hold her ground against Mastema—an opponent whom no one could even properly confront—the army's momentum, which had been on the verge of collapse, came roaring back.
Meanwhile...
After barely severing the neck of an S-Rank Monster Beast alongside Rubia, Francia dispersed her Aura Blade and clenched her teeth.
'Become stronger...!'
Her breathing had become ragged.
But she couldn't retreat.
Not yet.
She couldn't stop.
Some powerful determination was driving every part of her body.
She had not begun fighting for lofty ideals like the Empire...
Or humanity.
At first, it had been revenge.
Then came admiration...
And curiosity.
She had witnessed the Empire's darkness.
She had also witnessed its hope.
Now there remained no one left to avenge.
No one left to hate.
And yet...
She still gripped her sword.
She, who had once swung her blade solely for revenge...
Was still swinging it even after losing that desire.
Why?
"......"
Suddenly...
She remembered something from her childhood.
Back when she had first resolved to take up the sword after her brief memories with her mother.
The conversation she had shared with her father—
Onte Brida.