……Huh?
Hazab doubted his own eyes.
He had clearly reinforced his body with holy power.
In his current physical state, he could have survived even the natural disasters Gaon unleashed.
So why was there a gaping hole punched through him?
It was unbelievable.
Was it an illusion, perhaps?
But then his consciousness began to blur, and Hazab realized it was no illusion.
Instinctively, he focused his holy power to heal the gaping wound in his chest.
But holy power wasn’t omnipotent.
Moreover, for some reason, his holy power wasn’t functioning properly.
Something was interfering with it.
What the hell is this…….
That something was unmistakably Gaon’s energy.
It wasn’t demonic energy.
Nor was it mana.
Obviously not holy power either, and it didn’t carry the distinctive aura of shamanic power that shamans wielded.
What kind of energy is this?
Before long, his mind grew increasingly hazy.
And Hazab gave up on the healing.
Even pouring all his holy power into it wouldn’t save him from such an irreparable wound anyway.
For the last time, Hazab looked at Gaon.
Gaon’s expression was endlessly cold.
And so, Hazab met his death while gazing at that icy expression.
Silence descended.
No one could open their mouths.
Who was Hazab?
He was the captain of the Golden Eagle Knight Order, one of Seionia’s Ten Great Knight Orders, and the vice commander of the Holy Order, Seionia’s supreme combat organization.
In other words, he was a highly important figure even within Seionia.
And such a man had been killed by Gaon.
Without being able to do a thing.
Hazab’s death itself was shocking, but Gaon’s overwhelming power was even more astonishing.
It was a situation where no one could bring up any topic.
Right then.
Swish.
Gaon turned his head and looked at the middle-aged woman.
Then he asked,
“Vice commander?”
The middle-aged woman was dressed in the robes of a senior priestess from Seionia.
However, judging by her insignia, she wasn’t just any ordinary senior priestess.
Even if she wasn’t the vice commander of the Holy Order, she was presumed to be a figure of immense influence.
……Yes, I am Pasili, vice commander of the Seventh Holy Order.
At Gaon’s question, Pasili swallowed hard and answered.
And in response to Pasili’s reply, Gaon continued,
“Do you have any complaints about the current situation?”
No, I do not.
“Good thinking. And the ones in the west and east will all be eliminated too. It would be best to report everything exactly as it happened to Seionia. Including what just happened to the one who died.”
I understand.
The others, listening to the exchange between the two, thought,
‘Will Seionia just sit still?’
- ‘Isn’t this going to start a war?’*
What reaction would Seionia show?
Would they go to war with Gaon?
Everyone was worried about the outbreak of war.
Of course, Hazab had suspected Gaon.
Of colluding with the demon world.
If a high-ranking official in Seionia had faced such suspicion, they would have killed the accuser.
It was that serious a suspicion.
In other words, there was a chance Seionia might not let it slide.
Right then.
“Everyone, remember this situation clearly.”
Having finished his conversation with Pasili, Gaon addressed those on the ramparts.
“It would be wise not to make foolish choices.”
With that warning, Gaon turned away.
There was no one to answer anyway, and no need to hear a response in this situation.
Gaon checked the north.
While they had been talking, all the demons, demonic beasts, and traitors besieging from the north had been killed.
In other words, there was no longer any reason to stay in the north.
Gaon dispelled the spells still ravaging the north.
Then, as he headed east, he thought,
- ‘It’d be best to clean up the east and head up right away, huh?’*
The demon camp’s commander here was a demon marquis.
However, there was no demon marquis in this place.
Meaning, he was likely still in the north.
Kring would handle the west, so after cleaning the east, he could go straight up and kill the marquis.
It was right then.
……!
Gaon paused for a moment.
It was because his senses had detected some peculiar something.
From that something, demonic energy was oozing out in waves.
- ‘So this was it?’*
He had been wondering anyway.
How the place called Ronen was filled with demonic energy.
Now, he thought he knew the reason.
It was definitely because of this something he had just sensed.
Gaon changed direction.
And soon, he confirmed the something with his own eyes.
The something was a 2-meter cubic cube.
And the cube was engraved with countless runes.
Of course, they weren’t ordinary runes.
They were undoubtedly runes imbued with special power.
Gaon swung his hand.
At that, countless wind blades appeared and flew toward the cube.
Scraaape!
Scraaaape!
And the wind blades began viciously grinding away at the cube’s runes.
Before long, the runes started vanishing one by one, and accordingly, the amount of demonic energy leaking from the cube began to decrease.
A short while later, all the runes were gone, and the cube stopped functioning.
At the same time, the 2-meter cube rapidly shrank.
Down to a size that could fit in one hand.
Gaon reached out toward the shrunken cube.
Then, the cube floated lightly into the air and flew to him, and Gaon began examining it closely.
……!
And at that moment, Gaon couldn’t help but be shocked.
Perfection?
It was because of the perfection he felt emanating from inside the cube.
How?
It didn’t make sense.
How could he sense perfection from the cube?
Of course, it wasn’t complete perfection.
It was a fragment of perfection.
However, even a fragment was still perfection.
……I need to wrap this up quickly and go.
Gaon resolved himself.
To finish cleaning the east even faster.
He needed to complete the cleanup as soon as possible and head to the main demon camp stationed in the north of the 18th Coexistence Zone.
His original purpose for coming had been one.
Cleanup.
But because of the cube, another purpose had been added.
- ‘A marquis should know about this.’*
Interrogation.
The cube was an item brought from the demon camp.
In other words, the marquis would know what this cube was.
And why a fragment of perfection was dwelling within it.
Having made his decision, Gaon pocketed the cube.
And immediately headed east.
Gergona said nothing.
He simply stared blankly at the map with a face full of disbelief.
His aides couldn’t help but feel puzzled by Gergona’s reaction.
That was because this was the first time they had seen such a response from him.
And so, the aides began silently gauging Gergona’s mood without a word.
Before long, Gergona snapped out of it and wore a confused expression.
- ‘A failure?’*
To shatter the human city in the 18th Coexistence Zone, countless individuals had set out with the sacred relic.
And yet, it had failed.
There was no report confirming it.
Nevertheless, the reason Gergona was certain of the failure was because of Set and Murdo, whom he had sent along for this attack.
Set and Murdo were Gergona’s right-hand demons, bound by soul contracts.
But just moments ago, those soul contracts had been severed.
A severed contract meant death.
Why would those two demons have died?
Had they stepped to the front lines and fallen in battle?
No, that couldn’t be.
One demon might die, but both? That didn’t add up.
Moreover, they hadn’t died separately with a time lag; they had perished almost simultaneously.
……No way!
Suddenly, the divination from a while back came to mind.
At the time, he hadn’t been able to read good or ill fortune.
Was it related to this situation?
- ‘This won’t do.’*
It seemed he couldn’t just sit still like this.
“Begin the withdrawal.”
Gergona issued the withdrawal order to his aides.
Withdrawing like this would certainly cause problems.
There would be those eager to bite and tear at him.
But there was no choice.
Better to be hounded than to stay here and risk death, he thought.
……?
……?
Was the sudden withdrawal order too unexpected?
Or did they think they’d misheard?
The aides simply wore puzzled expressions and didn’t respond.
Gergona scowled and repeated himself.
“I said begin the withdrawal. Right now.”
……Yes, sir!
Yes!
At the voice laced with anger and irritation, the aides came to their senses, jumped up from their seats, and hurried out of the tent.
Then, Gergona turned his head and looked at the nobles gathered at the back.
The nobles were showing equally flustered reactions.
Gergona said to them,
“Set and Murdo are dead.”
……!
……!
The nobles were stunned by Gergona’s words.
Set and Murdo, dead?
The nobles, who knew the power of those two, found it hard to believe.
However, there was no reason for Gergona to lie.
Moreover, hadn’t he just ordered a withdrawal?
“Belpo.”
“Yes.”
Belpo, who had been staring blankly in shock, responded to Gergona’s call.
“Go scout the situation and come back. If it feels dangerous, retreat immediately. Prioritize survival above all.”
Among the nobles, Belpo was the swiftest.
Belpo would be able to grasp the situation and return.
“Yes, I’ll head out right away.”
Belpo bowed his head to Gergona in greeting and promptly left the tent.
Then, Gergona said to the remaining nobles,
“Everyone, prepare to return. We’ll leave as soon as preparations are complete.”
……Understood.
Yes.
The nobles also returned to their respective quarters.
Left alone like that, Gergona waved his hand.
At that, the scattered luggage gathered together and was sucked into the subspace box.
With a single gesture, Gergona finished preparing for withdrawal, then moved toward the communication crystal.
It was to relay the withdrawal to the holy site.
Shimmer!
A short while later, the crystal glowed, and a demon appeared.
It was none other than Demon Marquis Kaserus.
- Is it over already?
“No.”
At Kaserus’s question, Gergona shook his head and replied.
“It failed. We’re withdrawing immediately.”
- What? Failed?
- What’s this nonsense about withdrawing?
Kaserus scowled and asked at Gergona’s words.
“It’s just as I said. The operation failed, and we’re preparing to withdraw right now. And it looks like we won’t be able to recover the sacred relic.”
Kaserus said nothing.
He simply stared blankly at Gergona with a shocked face.
“Then let’s talk when I get there.”
- Wait!
As Gergona tried to end the communication, Kaserus snapped out of it and shouted urgently.
- You can’t recover the sacred relic?
- At the very least, you have to bring the relic back!
“Impossible.”
- No, why is it impossible!
“I’ll explain when I get there!”
While bickering with Kaserus like that.
……!
Gergona flinched.
And then his expression twisted.
- ……What’s wrong?
At the sudden change in Gergona’s expression, Kaserus asked in a puzzled voice.
And Gergona swallowed hard before answering.
“I sent Belpo out just a moment ago. To assess the situation.”
- And?
“Belpo is dead.”
The reason Gergona had flinched was because his soul contract with Belpo had been severed.
In other words, Belpo was dead too.
Belpo, who was swift of foot.
And he had been told to prioritize survival above all.
Yet Belpo was dead?
No, Belpo’s death wasn’t the issue.
Belpo had left only a short while ago.
Even if Belpo was fast, he wouldn’t have strayed far from the vicinity.
In other words, the one who killed Belpo was nearby.
“I’ll contact you later.”
- What? We need to talk more—
Ignoring Kaserus’s words, Gergona cut off the communication.
And he stepped out of the tent.
Swish.
Then, Gergona raised his head and looked at the sky.
Cumulonimbus clouds were visible.
Not ordinary cumulonimbus clouds.
They were clouds brimming with immense energy.
It was right then.
Craaaack!
Crack!
Craaaack!
Lightning began to fall from the cumulonimbus clouds.