Chapter 65: You Are Weaker Than Me

A massive X-shaped cross.

Another Successor’s arms and legs were fixed in place.

To free him, the huge nails driven into his wrists and ankles had to be pulled out.

“Can I just pull them out?”

“You’ll need the Guardian’s Help. Anyone strong around? That orc might be able to do it.”

I approached and grabbed the nail.

Vwoom!

It felt like something was being sucked in. More precisely, it was like trying to seal what I had inside.

Still, I doubted I could pull the nail out.

I pumped the Dragon Heart’s mana to enhance my physical abilities, then used magic to boost my strength.

Gripping the nail with both hands, I placed my foot on the cross as a brace and pulled with all my might.

“No way…”

Squelch!

The nail came out, dragging along in my hand.

I was a bit short on strength, so I glanced at Anne nearby.

“Anne. Some strength potions, please.”

[Here you go.]

After drinking the potion Anne handed me, I grabbed the nail again and put my strength into it.

Squelch!

The nail came out cleanly.

“Ughhhh!”

Anne poured potion on the other Successor’s writhing wrist.

“Miss, it’s no use. You have to pull them all out… Ugh, I’m fine, just hurry up.”

“Got it.”

I pulled out all the nails embedded in his arms and legs.

As soon as he fell off the cross, I caught the other Successor.

Laying him down on the floor, Anne poured more potion on him.

Seeing his wounds heal quickly, I gave him the rest orally.

Not long after, the other Successor got back on his feet.

“Phew! I feel like I’m alive. Thanks.”

“Take care of those guys first.”

“Alright. I’ll return the favor.”

Another Successor summoned mana and formed a sword made of cold air.

With a light gesture, the sword flew.

Shreeeeek!

The sword flew fast and struck the Apostle who had transformed into the Frost Dragon God’s Incarnate Body.

It pierced through the thick icy skin and embedded itself.

The sword, piercing his forehead, exploded and killed the Frost Dragon God’s Incarnate Body outright.

Boom!

Boom!

The Lower Apostles fighting the Guardians were quickly wiped out.

Another Successor finished off the Apostle who was fighting goblins, killing all the Lower Apostles.

“Those damn bastards.”

“So only Intermediate Apostles are left?”

“That one’s no gentleman either.”

I shifted my gaze to where the other Successor was looking.

Flying swiftly through the blue sky came a figure.

Pure white frost wings fluttered.

Unlike Bluecat, who was a Lower Apostle, this was a man with long blue hair.

He folded his wings and landed on the ground.

“An uninvited guest arrived while we briefly left.”

“You damned bastard. Return my Guardian.”

“He’s already been sacrificed.”

The Intermediate Apostle said flatly.

His pale face showed no emotion as he faced me.

One of his eyes shifted like a cat’s.

At the same time, his eye turned blue.

“Hmm. Weaker than me. No need to run then.”

What was with that eye?

“Oh, that’s a sacred relic called Bluecat’s Eye. When activated by a sacrifice, it allows you to gauge the opponent’s strength.”

“…Can it read my mind too?”

“Your expression’s so obvious, I can read it.”

The Intermediate Apostle’s eyes returned to normal.

He gracefully raised his hand, then brought it to his chest in a noble salute.

“Then I look forward to working with you, Successor of the Lord.”

“…What?”

“Domain Expansion.”

Frost swirled from the Intermediate Apostle’s feet, quickly freezing the surroundings.

The scenery around us changed instantly.

Inside a translucent dome-like space, everything was covered in snow.

“Haah.”

White breath exhaled.

The cold was tangible.

I cast a spell on the Guardians huddled around me to maintain their body heat.

Then another Successor approached.

“…Hey, you can do this, right?”

“Do what?”

“Intermediate Apostle. You can beat him, right?”

“We won’t know until we try. Tell me how to fight to win. You’ve faced him before.”

“If we have enough fire attribute Guardians.”

“There aren’t any.”

“Hey, you. Relaxing already? Joking like that? You’re an interesting guy.”

I watched the other Successor playing both drums and cymbals alone, then shifted my gaze as a strong aura grew.

The Intermediate Apostle standing before us snapped his fingers.

Ice pillars shot up from the ground.

Inside the massive pillars were monsters of various races.

Starting with white-skinned orcs, trolls, ogres, and elves.

There were ten monsters in total.

Crack!

Crackle!

The ice pillars split open as the monsters moved.

Like the Intermediate Apostle, they all wore emotionless expressions.

I used the Golden Dragon’s Eye to assess their power.

‘All S-rank. And all combat-capable.

I have some non-combat S-rank, so I’m outnumbered.

The Intermediate Apostle spoke.

“Kill them all.”

At his command, the monsters obeying the Intermediate Apostle lunged forward.

My Guardians moved as well.

The two forces clashed, sending out fierce shockwaves.

Though there was a big difference in numbers, we had SS-rank Guardians making up the gap.

Anne’s curse reduced the enemies’ stats.

Ropenheim’s experienced command allowed us to efficiently hold them back.

But all that only bought time; we still needed a definite way to win.

“Damn it! Really no one else?”

“There isn’t.”

“…And we’re outnumbered too? How long have you been a Successor?”

“Just under a month, I think.”

“What? One month? One month and already on dispatch duty? Damn it. No wonder your Guardian pool is that bad.”

Another Successor tore his hair out.

“This isn’t a savior, it’s a moth to the flame. Baltimos still sending dispatches thoughtlessly. Really.”

“I haven’t given up yet. We haven’t even done anything. Don’t just stand there, tell me how to win.”

“If you’ve only been a month, this is your first time fighting Intermediate Apostles, right?”

“…Direct fighting, yeah.”

“To beat an Intermediate Apostle, you have to kill all those damn monsters first. Only then can you attack the Intermediate Apostle directly.”

Snap.

From Intermediate Apostle onward, it’s about territorial control.

The reason we needed at least ten S-rank Guardians was that the enemy commands ten monsters.

“Does the Intermediate Apostle transform into an Incarnate Body too?”

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll try to take down as many monsters as possible. You take out the Intermediate Apostle with instant-kill magic.”

“Hah… shit. No.”

The other Successor scratched his head and clicked his tongue.

“Within this domain, only the Intermediate Apostle and you can use your powers. The rest are powerless. Basically, I’m invisible.”

“…That’s unfair.”

“You… You didn’t research instant-kill magic? Attribute-based instant-kill magic is basic. Didn’t Rose tell you?”

“I’ve only met her twice.”

“What? You said one month, right? So you asked me because you don’t have instant-kill magic? You weren’t trying to get revenge on me?”

I nodded to the other Successor’s words.

“Damn.”

He shook his head.

“Then it’s over. No way out. Just die like this.”

“It’s too soon to give up. We have to try while we can.”

“Try what? You’re only one month in; the Golden Tower mages’ level will drop, and research will take forever. You won’t even last that long.”

The other Successor pointed toward the battlefield with the Guardians.

Looking, I saw my summoned Guardians beginning to lose ground.

Resolving this situation was our top priority.

I tried to draw mana to help somehow but was blocked by something.

‘There’s a restriction.’

It seemed the Intermediate Apostle was quietly watching for a similar reason.

The limitation within this barrier.

Judging by the other Successor’s words, the restriction would lift only after some Guardians were defeated.

That meant the Guardians had to handle it themselves.

“Anne. Use that.”

[Understood.]

Anne nodded, looked ahead, and stretched out her hand.

[Praira, prepare the seeds!]

[Yes, sister!]

Praira flew up on the Wyvern King and tossed the seed into the air.

The seed spun around the barrier, fell to the ground, and grew into a massive ancient tree.

An ancient tree planted like a pillar.

Seeing this, Anne’s eyes sparkled as she began chanting.

[Destruction Blood Angel Formation.]

Vwoom!

The formation activated.

[Attribute Conversion. Ice.]

As Anne finished the formation, the Apostle’s monsters pressing our Guardians faltered.

[…Energy is being drained.]

[We have to destroy that ancient tree.]

[We’ll handle this side, you destroy the tree.]

The monsters quickly assessed the problem and moved to remove the cause.

But the Guardians didn’t stand still.

The orc, fully recovered, swung a huge axe, charging and attacking those in front.

Goblin poison needles snagged the fleeing monsters’ ankles.

Praira created fences with plants, preventing escape.

Temporary isolation.

Though the war’s outcome was still uncertain, we had clearly bought time.

Next, I opened the status window and activated the Magic Tower Window.

I canceled all today’s research.

[Research on Frost Dragon God’s Incarnate Body Instant Death Magic has started.]

The required S-rank materials from level 5 were handled using the S-grade Material Selection Box.

[Research progressing from level 1 to 5.]

[Expected completion time: 30 minutes.]

Aside from Yoo Seolha, two other mages had reached a research-capable level.

Not as good as Yoo Seolha, but gifted.

Having experience researching Thunder Dragon God’s Incarnate Body instant-kill magic, their research speed was drastically increased.

Thanks to Yoo Seolha’s SSS-class Archmage talent.

I calmly watched the battlefield.

The monsters couldn’t unleash their true power.

Their vitality and mana steadily drained, so the Frost Dragon God’s Incarnate Body couldn’t move.

‘Anne’s curse and potions are working too.’

Weakening the enemy by curse, raising our side’s stats with potions.

Receiving infinite vitality gave us the luxury to make such strategies possible.

“Uoooooo!”

The orc roared, raising his momentum and beheading a monster.

Ropenheim’s sword pierced another monster’s heart.

One by one, they started falling.

Without resolving the formation, the monsters were powerless.

I gave additional orders to the Guardians swiftly finishing the monsters.

“Hold on and stall a bit.”

We waited for the research to complete.

Then the Intermediate Apostle ordered his monsters.

“Just commit suicide.”

The monsters tore out their own hearts.

[Attribute Conversion.]

Just then, Anne switched attributes.

Draining the Guardians’ vitality to feed the enemy.

The monsters didn’t die despite ripping out their hearts.

‘Definitely clever.’

He proved he didn’t just gain the Lordship of the Seventh Forest by chance.

[Research complete.]

I ordered the Guardians to finish them off.

Squelch!

Squelch!

The formation dissolved, and the Guardians annihilated the remaining monsters.

Then all restrictions on me vanished.

I pulled the mana fully charged in the Dragon Heart.

Prepared the Frost Dragon God’s Incarnate Body instant death magic.

“Die.”