I regained most of my power by exerting influence over this world.
Through that process, I naturally realized something.
‘As Artina grows stronger, I grow stronger too.’
To be more precise, it wasn’t exactly that my own strength increased, but rather that my overall ability to wield Divine Power improved.
It felt as if my Understanding of Divine Power had deepened significantly.
Until now, there had never been a time when I grew stronger just because a Guardian did. Naturally, I was curious.
Why did my Divine Power-related abilities improve when Artina grew?
There was only one difference between her and the other Guardians.
‘The Authority granted by the Goddess.’
Using that Authority, I had awakened Artina as the Saint of the Sword. While it was clearly connected to the Authority of a God, I hadn’t yet figured out why this specifically created a difference compared to other Guardians.
It was a problem too difficult to solve with my current knowledge.
To find the answer, I would either have to restore this world to its original state and ask the Ancient Dragons outside, or meet the Goddess once more.
Well, the conclusion was that thanks to Artina becoming stronger, I could now use Divine Power more precisely and on a much larger scale. Because of that, even something like this was possible.
“Sanctification.”
I channeled my Divine Power as I looked at the hundreds of thousands of Demonkind and the Subordinate of the Demon King, who were all visibly excited at the thought of killing us.
Flash!
I converted all the Mana in my body into Divine Power and spread it over a wide area. This was a region that had been corrupted by Demonic Power. I converted all that Demonic Power back into Divine Power, turning the area into a place where holy energy flowed strongly.
Sizzle!
Common Demonkind could not withstand the Divine Power and were annihilated on the spot.
“Oooooh! I can feel the power!”
“The Divine Power is gathering in my sword on its own!”
“My body feels so light. At this rate, I feel like I could sweep those bastards away!”
The soldiers, now enveloped in constant buffs, moved toward the Demonkind who were paralyzed by the Divine Power.
They hunted down intermediate demons that they usually wouldn’t have been able to catch. The Demonkind within the sanctified area were cleared out incredibly fast.
However, the enemies had not been completely dealt with. Hundreds of thousands of Demonkind still surrounded the sanctified area.
Receiving the blessing of the Subordinate of the Demon King, they rushed inside.
“The Demon King himself has given the order! Follow it with your lives! Kill all those humans!”
“Graaaaaahr!”
“Kill them!”
An All-Out War broke out as the Demonkind charged, emitting a terrifying Demonic Power. They entered the sanctified area without regard for their own bodies disintegrating, like a swarming horde of zombies. Using the backs of their fallen kin as stepping stones, the Demonkind crowded in to slaughter the humans.
“We shall protect everything with the power of the holy!”
“Under the protection of God, there is nothing we cannot defend!”
Glimmering white, translucent shields protected the soldiers. The Holy Knights used the power of the sanctified area to lead the soldiers with wide-range buffs.
“Aaaaaah!”
“We are the proud soldiers of the Lopes Kingdom!”
“Protect the Queen and subjugate the enemy!”
With powerful shouts, the soldiers bolstered their fighting spirit and engaged in the battle even more aggressively.
‘That’s enough for now.’
At the very least, it wasn’t desirable for me to be the protagonist of this world. I naturally stepped back and passed the baton to Artina.
‘It’s your turn now. Take that fellow down.’
Using Telepathy, I relayed information about the subordinate that I had gathered through the Golden Dragon Eye.
‘I understand.’
Artina brandished her sword and shield, sweeping through the enemies as she rushed toward the Subordinate of the Demon King. Artina fought like a peerless warrior under Divine Power. The faith and praise flowing from the knights and soldiers watching her made Artina even stronger, and as she grew, I grew as well.
Is this what it feels like to achieve something without lifting a finger?
“She finally looks the part,” Ropenheim said as he approached, looking proud.
“Indeed. If I had stepped forward at the start, it wouldn’t have turned out like this, would it? I gained a great Enlightenment thanks to you.”
“It was merely my own greed. Rather, I am grateful that you respected my opinion.”
“We’re in this together. If you ask for a favor, of course I should grant it.”
Saying I had gained a great Enlightenment wasn’t just empty talk. It wasn’t just that direct intervention wasn’t always the answer—it was also about trusting someone, managing the fear of failure, risk management, and more. Through this journey, I learned to see the bigger picture.
Perhaps that was why this battle looked different to me now.
“Our forces are too small.”
“It is true that we currently have the advantage because of the magic you cast. If not for that, our forces would have been wiped out long ago.”
This was unavoidable. In a situation where humanity was on the brink of extinction, they had to put together a Subjugation Force in a hurry, so a lack of personnel was inevitable. In truth, as long as Ropenheim and I were here, subjugating the Demon King wouldn’t be a major problem. However, it seemed impossible for these people to fight the Demon King’s Army directly, which was what Ropenheim wanted.
‘Theoretically, it makes more sense to just take Artina and go.’
My head thought so, but my heart said otherwise. I focused on the reason I had come to this world.
It was to increase Ropenheim’s rank.
There wasn’t a detailed Quest related to that, so the most likely path was fulfilling Ropenheim’s goal.
That goal was for humanity to unite, defeat the Demon King, and for this world to continue without my help.
‘The problem is that the numbers are just too low for that…’
I either had to find a way to replenish these forces or turn every single soldier into a Holy Knight. Nothing else really came to mind.
Ultimately, to turn them into Holy Knights, a lot more people needed to have faith.
It was difficult to solve the fundamental problem.
“…Hmm, are there any more large cities?”
“There might be a few more, but they won’t be much different from the places we’ve seen so far. Aside from the few that the Demonkind keep as slaves… you can assume there are almost none left.”
While I was agonizing over an answer, the atmosphere of the battlefield began to shift subtly.
As the Demonkind began to overwhelm them with sheer numbers, the Subjugation Force started to retreat, and the sanctified area was slowly being corrupted, its territory shrinking.
They were being crowded to the point where it was difficult for the force to move properly.
“…Is it truly difficult unless you step in?”
“The scales were already tipped to one side. The reason I came here was likely to balance those scales again.”
“I suppose so.”
Ropenheim wore a bitter expression. He was not the type of person to drive everyone off a cliff for the sake of his own goals.
“I ask this favor of you.”
“Yes. There must be a way. Let’s look for it together.”
Just as I said that and was about to step forward, I felt the energy of spirits coming from the east. A cool breeze began to blow, eventually turning into a massive whirlwind that swept the Demonkind away. Along with it, Elves with dark skin appeared.
The Dark Elves, wielding daggers, carved a path through the Demonkind with Quick Movements. One Dark Elf in particular was at the very front, sweeping through the enemies.
“Karen?”
“Is she someone you know?”
“…She was an old comrade of mine.”
The female Dark Elf called Karen showed incredibly Swift movements, her white hair fluttering behind her. Her footwork, which left afterimages as she moved, was admirable. The daggers she thrust out claimed the lives of the Demonkind instantly.
‘Other races, huh…’
If other races could be integrated alongside the Dark Elves, then Ropenheim’s goal might actually be attainable. A solution had appeared from an unexpected place.
“All troops! Assist the Dark Elves and subjugate the Demonkind!”
The Holy Knights rallied their morale once again and continued the war against the Demonkind.
With the alliance between Dark Elves and humans, the once-massive numbers of the Demonkind quickly dwindled, and Artina began the second round of her battle against the Subordinate of the Demon King.
Boom!
Cra-boom!
Demonic Power and Divine Power clashed.
“Aaaaaah!”
With a fierce shout, Artina sliced through the subordinate’s neck.
Shlik!
The battle ended as the subordinate was split in half.
[You exert influence over this world]
[Restrictions are reduced]
After the battle, the Dark Elves gathered and walked toward us.
“Karen.”
The Dark Elf called Karen walked straight toward Ropenheim. She then raised the dagger in her hand and pointed it at his throat.
“Who are you?”
“It’s me. Ropenheim.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit. That idiot I knew died because his Manahole was destroyed.”
Slide!
The tip of the dagger pricked Ropenheim’s neck. Red blood trickled down the blade. Ropenheim looked at Karen calmly and smiled.
“The moonlight reflected on the black lake makes my heart ache. Those were the words you said to me the day we parted.”
The dagger in Karen’s hand trembled.
Tears began to fall from the eyes of the Dark Elf, who looked as if she would never shed a single one.
The surrounding Dark Elves also looked quite shocked, as if they were seeing this for the first time.
“You… you… where have you been all this time! No, what happened to your Manahole? How on earth are you still alive!”
“Let’s move first. We need a place to rest.”
“…Follow me. I’m taking the humans back to the forest.”
“But—”
The Dark Elf who met Karen’s gaze lowered their head.
“Understood.”
The Dark Elves led the way, and the soldiers and knights followed behind them. I walked at the very back with Artina.
“Do you know much about that Dark Elf?”
“She was one of the core members of the Hero’s Party. Karen, the Ruler of Darkness. I heard there was often friction because she isn’t particularly fond of humans.”
“She seems close with Master Ropenheim, though.”
“They are comrades who killed the Demon King together, after all.”
“What he said earlier sounded a bit like a confession.”
“I wouldn’t know about that. Karen returned to the forest immediately after killing the Demon King, so not much is known about her.”
Even Artina didn’t know much.
[Using Golden Dragon Eye]
[Karen (SS-)]
– A Dark Elf who killed the Demon King.
– Currently feeling fluttery.
– Total Stats: SS-
– Potential: SSS
– Items: Black Moon Dagger (SS)
– Skills: Shadow Walk (SSS), Master of Assassination (SS), Ultra Sensitivity (SS), Perception (SS), The Forsaken (SS).
I had wondered if she might be working with the Demonkind to lure us into a trap, but based on what I saw through the Golden Dragon Eye and how affectionately they were walking together, she didn’t seem dangerous. I quietly followed the Dark Elves.
We arrived at the Black Forest, located a short distance away from the granary region.
The trees were black, and the leaves were gray.
As we entered the overall dark atmosphere of the forest, I felt something like a barrier made of Mana.
[Through Blessing of Magic (EX), you understand the principles and structure of the Dark Elf boundary magic circle]
[Understanding of magic is high]
[You have acquired Dark Elf Boundary Magic Circle (SSS)]
This magic circle was different from ordinary ones. It was designed so that those with Demonic Power could not perceive it.
‘This is why they are safe from the Demonkind.’
However, the magic circle wasn’t perfect. Because the boundary was set specifically to the unique trees that only existed here, it was a limited magic circle that could only be used in this exact location.
Once we crossed the barrier, a new place appeared. Between the massive trees of the forest stood a gargantuan tree that towered high above the rest.
‘Is that the World Tree?’
Beneath the World Tree, Dark Elves holding bows were watching us. Karen turned around and gave orders to the other Dark Elves.
“Provide the humans with a place to rest and share food with them.”
“Understood.”
“And as for you, Ropenheim… why don’t you and your friends come with me?”