At the same time.
A heavy silence had descended upon Hecate Citadel.
The soldiers stood frozen, staring blankly in the same direction.
The soldier striking the warning bell and the one blowing the emergency horn were both lost in a daze.
Far in the distance, a massive silhouette shimmered like a mirage.
Every time it moved—
Boom!…… Boom!…… Boom!…… Boom!
Violent tremors shook the ground.
No one was more shocked by the current situation than Guard Captain Sen Hyal.
“What in the world…!”
A giant towering into the sky.
Black haze rising around its grayish-brown body.
A helmet and armor made of black flames, along with a greatsword.
At that moment, the adjutant approached the Guard Captain.
“Captain! Is that perhaps…!”
Sen Hyal nodded silently.
The Evil God.
It perfectly matched the appearance of the evil god passed down through the ancestors’ legends.
The ancient evil god that had been suppressed for hundreds of years had finally awakened.
What had happened to the Benefactor and the Princess?
As the Guard Captain, what orders should she give right now?
“What should we… how…”
The ancient evil god was approaching Hecate Citadel.
Sen Hyal felt her mind going completely blank.
At that moment.
Bwoooooong!
With a fierce gust of wind, the General Zombie flew onto the ramparts.
[……I shall convey my lord’s command.]
A dry, emotionless voice.
Sen Hyal hurriedly approached the General Zombie.
“Is the Benefactor safe? What about the Princess?”
[…………]
The General Zombie did not answer her question.
It felt like speaking to a wall.
Then, the High Priestess urgently climbed up to the ramparts.
“Hyal, what on earth is…! My goodness…”
All color drained from the High Priestess’s face.
The ancient evil god had been released from its seal.
She realized it the instant she saw the giant silhouette in the distance.
Then, the General Zombie spoke.
[High Priestess of Hecate, and Guard Captain of Hecate…… I shall deliver my lord’s command…….]
The General Zombie continued.
[The Fierce God Evil Slayer’s target is this place…… The ground may collapse, so evacuate the villagers…….]
The High Priestess and Guard Captain swallowed dryly.
Information regarding the ancient evil god had been strictly controlled until now.
Only a small number of people — the High Priestess and priests, the Guard Captain and her adjutant, and a few veteran soldiers — knew about it.
It was a measure to prevent unnecessary fear and chaos from spreading.
At that moment.
[I have delivered my lord’s command. Then.]
The General Zombie spread its wings wide.
Sen Hyal hurriedly reached out.
“Wait! I still have questions…!”
However.
Bwoooong!
The General Zombie flew away without looking back.
The instructions from the savior of Ravianglily — the Benefactor and the Princess — were simple.
Abandon your home.
The tunnels that Sen Hyal’s great-grandfather had reclaimed.
The place they had turned into a safe haven over countless years.
A place where they didn’t need to wander the desolate and barren outside world.
But.
“Everyone, listen to me.”
Sen Hyal looked at the soldiers and spoke.
“Today, we must make a critical decision. The Benefactor and the Princess are fighting alone to defeat that massive demon you see over there.”
“I believe in them. In our Messiah, who has bestowed upon us countless miracles and blessings without asking for anything in return…!”
Sen Hyal continued.
“I am not your king, nor am I your master. I will respect all of your opinions.”
The soldiers immediately shouted back.
“There’s no need to even ask!”
“That’s right! If we don’t believe in the Benefactor and the Princess, who would we believe in?!”
“We all think the same as you, Captain! If we’re together, we can do anything!”
Sen Hyal looked at the High Priestess.
The High Priestess smiled and nodded.
“Hyal, didn’t you say it yourself? That they are the Messiah of Ravianglily who can bring about miracles. We have witnessed those miracles with our own eyes. What reason is there not to believe?”
“High Priestess……”
Sen Hyal took a deep breath and shouted loudly.
“Take care of the elderly, the infirm, and the patients! Gather food and supplies! We will evacuate this place as quickly as possible!”
“Yes, Captain!”
Under Guard Captain Sen Hyal’s command, the soldiers moved with perfect coordination.
Then.
Rumble rumble rumble—
The ground began to shake.
It sounded as if countless beasts were charging forward at once.
But the sound wasn’t coming from the Fierce God Evil Slayer.
At that moment, a soldier on the watchtower shouted.
“Guard Captain! Look over there!”
Beyond the giant mushrooms surrounding the citadel, thick clouds of dust were rising.
***
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground trembled.
Like the Red Sea parting, the path the Fierce God Evil Slayer walked split to the left and right.
Step by step.
Boom!…… Boom!…… Boom!
Since being released from its seal, the Fierce God Evil Slayer’s appearance had been gradually changing.
A helmet, armor, and sword.
Eyes, ears, and a nose had formed on its previously empty face.
Then.
Shweeeek—
Dozens of black arrows tore through the air.
Thudthudthudthud!
They accurately pierced the back of the Fierce God Evil Slayer’s left knee.
They were arrows shot by Shadow Knight Yi Seonggye.
At the same time.
Slice~!
Shadow Knight Cheok Jungyeong severed the Achilles tendon of its right leg.
[Grooooooooar—!]
The Fierce God Evil Slayer let out a roar full of fury.
It swung its greatsword.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
A massive blade over several dozen meters long.
It cleaved through the salt desert as it came crashing down.
At that moment, Yi I swung his brush.
Swaaaaaaaa—
Black ink surged upward, slightly altering the trajectory of the greatsword.
However.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh—
Shadow Knight Jeong Giryong was burned away by the embers emitted from the greatsword.
Jeong Giryong, who had lost part of his upper body.
But in that instant.
Shweeeeeek— Thudthud!
Heo Jun’s needles flew toward Jeong Giryong.
The damaged shadow body recovered in the blink of an eye.
Cheok Jungyeong and Yi Seonggye had attacked the tendons in the feet and knees to restrict the Fierce God Evil Slayer’s movement.
But the wounds were too shallow.
Then.
Shweeeek!
A black flash rushed toward the lower half of the Fierce God Evil Slayer.
Slice slice—
Its ankle and Achilles tendons were severed.
Thick skin and reddish muscle were cut apart.
[Grooooooooar—!]
But that wasn’t the end.
Starting from the ankle, to the calf, knee, thigh, side, armpit, shoulder, and neck.
Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice!
The black flash swirled violently, severing the giant’s major tendons and joints.
The movements flowed as smoothly as water.
Soon, the Fierce God Evil Slayer lost its balance and staggered.
Tilt—
The 500-meter-tall giant began to collapse rapidly.
Boom!
The Fierce God Evil Slayer fell completely onto the ground.
At the same time, Yi I swung his brush.
Swaaaaaah—
Ink shackles formed around its wrists, ankles, and the back of its neck.
Meanwhile, the Shadow Knights had sliced through the tendons in the giant’s wrists.
The Fierce God Evil Slayer’s recovery was slowed by the salt’s influence.
Then, Jeanne landed on a towering salt crystal.
“Haah……”
Mana swirled violently around Jeanne.
She released mana from her mana hole and drew the released mana back into it.
It was the mana cultivation method she had learned from Lee Geuk, the Sword God, the A+ rank No. 1.
Uuuung— uuuung— uuuung— uuuung—
Soon, a single black flower petal formed above Jeanne’s head.
Through the cycle of release and absorption, her mana was amplified several times, even dozens of times over.
This will end it.
At that moment, the Fierce God Evil Slayer turned its head sharply.
Its eyes were hollow, without pupils.
Inside them, black flames blazed fiercely.
Then, the area around its mouth split open.
Crack— crack—!
Inside the grotesquely split mouth, black flames flickered.
A wave of black flames erupted instantly.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa—!
Anything the flames touched — salt and pillars alike — crumbled into ash.
Fwoooooosh—!
The primordial flames rushed straight toward Jeanne.
But Jeanne had no intention of dodging.
Hold it here for one hour.
It was as if she could hear her Master’s voice.
She had been entrusted with this task because he trusted her.
I will accomplish it even if it costs me my life.
The moment Jeanne made that resolve.
Shweeeek! Boom!
The General Zombie landed in front of her.
Two massive shields blocked the incoming flames.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
After the karmic flames passed.
Thud— thududuk—
The General Zombie’s shields crumbled into black ash and fell.
Soon, the General Zombie turned around and spoke.
[Everything…… is for my lord……. My lord’s army…… has arrived…….]
At the same time.
Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble—!
The ground began to shake violently.
Thick clouds of dust approached across the salt desert.
A white legion was charging forward, dyeing the horizon.
On top of their heads stood silver cordyceps.
It was the moment when the main enemy that had been devouring the inside of the warehouse became allies.
Then, the General Zombie flew up into the sky.
[In accordance with my lord’s will…… we begin the counterattack.]