chapter 133
133. Flame (4)
A reception room inside the temple.
Yuma was facing Bell.
“bell.”
Bell looked at Yuma helplessly. Because no matter how much she swung her sword, no such accomplishment was achieved.
The sword path performed while receiving the <God of War> protection from Yuma.
Although we worked hard to recreate that sword stroke, it was still impossible to recreate a sword that surpassed its limitations.
Bell responded quietly to Yuma’s words.
“huh.”
Yuma spoke without hesitation.
“I appoint you as an apostle.”
Immediately after Yuma finished speaking, a voice rang out in Bell’s head.
[The God of War has appointed you as an ‘apostle.’]
Apostle.
A sword shape with a red air current rose from behind Bell.
It was proof that Mushin had appointed Bell as an apostle.
Belle felt a surge of energy rising from her toes.
It feels as if my body is being refined to become stronger.
“There is no need to blame yourself for not reaching a higher level. Bell, you have already surpassed the limit of what a human can reach. From now on, growing further is done with me and with my strength.”
Yuma placed his hand on Bell’s shoulder.
“Do you understand?”
Just infinitely harmless. It was just a light touch. But Belle felt the touch very heavy.
“okay.”
Bell ended up blaming himself for feeling like he was leaning on Yuma again. He felt ashamed. However, she accepted it all instead of avoiding it.
By accepting your powerlessness, you can receive the strength to overcome your limitations.
“I’ll do my best.”
“okay.”
Yuma patted Belle’s shoulder, who was smiling.
The red sword shape that rose like a huge wing from behind Bell’s right back disappeared in a scattering of red light.
When the power was used in a polarized way, the sword shape would spread out like wings again, but at other times, it was orbiting Bell’s heart.
Yuma came out of the reception room before Belle.
Yuma, who was going outside, stopped.
This is because Clone, a black-haired, golden-eyed wizard, appeared before his eyes.
Clone stared into Yuma’s walls.
“Sister Bell, you were appointed an apostle, right?”
Yuma nodded.
“okay.”
I couldn’t answer that it was true.
How did you know?
“But how did you know?”
Clone responded immediately.
“Ermel told me. No, rather than telling me… I unintentionally overheard him trembling and talking to himself. I think only I heard him because I was next to him.”
I had never heard from Seong-eum that a saint had such great mutual communication that she knew everything that God did, or that she could know what God was doing.
He probably made the inference after seeing Yuma summon him separately.
‘Anyway, knowing too much is also a problem.’
In some ways, Ermel, a saint, may have known more about God than the God himself.
“Am I still not good enough? What are the standards?”
Clone asked very bluntly, without any hesitation.
“Yes, you have to go up one level before you can be appointed as an apostle.”
Clone immediately understood what the steps Yuma was talking about meant.
‘… ‘Circle 7.’
An area that I definitely wanted to overcome sooner or later.
The reason Clone needed to reach that area had just become clearer.
Clone and Yuma. Belle, who had been listening to the conversation between the two, stayed still with her body pressed against the ear of the door of her reception room. Because she didn’t want to run into Clone if possible.
‘… Clone, your eyes are scary.’
When Yuma looked at him, there were times when Clone’s eyes turned towards him. At times like that, she always felt chilled. Eyes narrowing like a crescent moon.
Belle had completely forgotten the truth that she was five years older and was truly scared.
“Just wait a moment.”
Clone began speaking again.
“Because we will definitely reach the 7th circle.”
“okay.”
Yuma had repeatedly promised the two of them that he would become stronger, but he never lacked the words whenever he heard them.
It was true that Yuma desperately needed the two to become stronger.
The ordination of saints and apostles has been completed.
Now it was time to compete.
Yuma stood on the podium again.
It was time to declare participation.
“Right now, I am the only one in Middle Earth who can be considered a god.”
Yuma continued.
“Therefore, the beings currently occupying the continent of Silmaria and other continents cannot become gods. They are simply invaders who must be destroyed.”
Raise the morale of the corps by lowering the level of the target.
“I will be your fortress and defender.”
The person who was most reluctant to say something that made him upset was not anyone else but Yuma himself.
But this level of formality had to be done.
“I will be the sword that cuts down the enemies that face you.”
Boom───
Yuma slammed his sword down on the floor. The dust spread widely in a circular shape.
“It’s a campaign.”
Sereung-
Swish-
The sound of checking the status of each person’s weapons spread countless times.
Heat rose from the bodies of the warriors of each race.
It was a fighting spirit displayed just before battle.
flutter─
Sigh─
The wings of fifty gryphons spread simultaneously.
The sight of fifty gryphons gliding all at once on the railing of the outer wall of the empire.
The elves provided all griffons that could be used outside of the kingdom.
The person riding behind Yuma on the griffon Ethan was Saint Ermel.
Another griffon was flying next to Ethan. The one holding the griffon’s leash was Bell, and behind it were Clone and Hestia.
“We basically move together. It doesn’t matter if we are far apart, but then send a signal.”
Bell, an ‘apostle’, is able to have a conversation in the form of telephony with the god Yuma through the medium of divine power.
At least, Yuma specified the scope of communication that an apostle was permitted to make.
Belle nodded vigorously.
“Yes! My lord.”
Awesome!
The two gryphons stuck together performed acrobatics side by side.
Yuma’s divine power also increased the griffons’ bodies and functions.
We crossed the Gehergen Continent and headed to the Silmaria Continent.
***
Sooo…
The wind permeated the forest.
Beings who felt the very ordinary sound of the wind as if they were afraid were holding their breath.
Silmaria Continent, Balcares Empire.
The last royal family member, Third Prince Ricardo, who was hiding on the mountainside of Velmin, a remote territory to the right of the capital, looked at the pitch-black sky with a blank face.
It was a journey where I didn’t know when I would die.
However, as it was the fifth day of this journey, I was able to calm my mind to some extent.
Ricardo’s blonde hair swayed.
He lowered his head and looked at the knights, soldiers, and mercenaries who had kept him alive until this point.
Those who, unlike themselves, are constantly wary of their surroundings.
A mercenary approached.
“Your Majesty, please eat at least one potato.”
Ricardo nodded as he looked at Camille, a female mercenary with brown hair who was casually handing over potatoes while wearing gloves.
“…thanks.”
I don’t know about other times. Now was not the time to worry about things like etiquette or common sense hygiene.
This is because I learned a lot from watching these people silently wielding weapons just to survive.
For two days, I did not see any monsters or demonic beasts spreading evil energy.
I knew that it was all thanks to the mercenaries who knew the geography of the territory, including the defensive fortress.
“Your Majesty the Prince… please remain still.”
But it seemed like something strange had happened.
In Ricardo’s ears, he heard the voice of Ragnarc, the only sword master knight left by his side.
“An unusual sound is coming from outside the rock fortress.”
Beyond the layers of rocks, the sound of a slow crack was heard. It was the sound of destruction.
It’s shaky… Quad deuk…
The edge of the cliff right above the cave where the Third Prince and his companions were gathered.
A black-haired beast stuck its head out from the edge of the cliff.
Crumbling…
A giant troll with black skin.
A thick stream of saliva flowed from the troll’s mouth.
The mercenaries, soldiers, and knights all knew.
That’s not an ordinary troll, but a troll enhanced by an unknown entity.
Starting from the day of disaster, all the trolls they encountered were mutants who could withstand the slashes of expert knights without even nodding.
Crrrrr-
… .
The sound coming from the troll’s mouth, which was only crying, suddenly stopped.
“Obviously, the royal family killed everyone in sight… I was wondering why the royal blood in this land wasn’t completely extinguished. A rat was hiding here.”
It was a very strange voice.
A deformed voice that is a mixture of an animal’s voice and a woman’s voice.
<Goddess of Dead Bones>, Angelica was using the troll’s eyes and mouth to look and speak.
“Kill them all.”
Quad duk— Quaaang!!
The sound of cracking was replaced by the sound of complete destruction. The rock fortress completely collapsed.
Coo coo coo coo…
The ground shook violently as if there had been an earthquake. Various monsters, including trolls and ogres, and demon summons made from the bodies of dead imperial citizens flocked like a swarm of ants towards the edge of the cliff.
The 27 members of the Third Prince’s group literally felt death.
at that time.
=The living, listen.=
A voice was heard.
=If you are alive, light a flame.=
Mushin’s voice rang out.
Very loudly throughout the Silmaria Continent.
At the voice of the only main god of Middle-earth, the monsters’ movements stopped for an instant.
The Third Prince and his companions believed that.
Someone is looking down on them now.
That being is an ally.
Hwareuk.
A large piece of wood caught fire.
Mercenary Camille raised the torch.
Third Prince Ricardo urgently ran to her.
Then, holding the torch together, he opened his mouth.
“Aserek.”
Ricardo knew how to do magic.
And the magic I had just chanted was a magic that amplified light. Whatever form of light it is.
The light of the torch rose through the cliff.