“Commander!”
“Where have you been!”
Despite the sudden appearance of the commander, everyone welcomed him with bright expressions.
Well, he arrived at the perfect moment.
That Viscount already seemed suspicious enough.
And now, he was split in two—what a fitting end.
“Hm, there’s a lot to explain…”
…Or so he was about to say.
Twitch—
“I’ll tell you after this is over.”
“That is….”
The severed body of the Viscount began to twitch.
…So it’s not over just yet, huh?
Yeah, this bastard had already regenerated an arm I cut off without an issue.
Having fully embraced the blessings of a devil, regeneration was hardly surprising at this point.
Ka-ga-ga-ga-gak—!
From the severed cross-sections of the Viscount’s body, white spikes sprouted densely, intertwining with each other.
And then—
The spikes contracted rapidly, pulling the two halves of his body back together.
“T-That’s….”
When a body is cut in half, it dies.
The knights trembled at the sight of such an obvious truth being shattered.
“A-Ah…! My former master…!”
Even the Viscount, seemingly overwhelmed by his own resurrection, muttered reverently.
“Horrific.”
The commander, still standing behind the Viscount, swung his sword.
Ka-kak—!
However, this time, the blade did not slice cleanly through.
Instead, it stopped halfway into the Viscount’s body.
“Heh… Hehehe… Th-Thank you…!”
The strange part was—
Despite being partially cut, the Viscount only tilted his head back in ecstasy.
His grotesque expression made others turn their gazes to follow his own.
“Ugh!”
“Rain!”
And then—
I saw it.
A colossal tree towering high into the sky.
At its center, as if it had always been there—
A massive, grotesque eye.
[You insects.]
“A-Ah… I humbly greet you, my lord…!”
No, could that even be called an eye in the way we understood it?
As if my consciousness were being pulled into it, I examined the giant eye.
Its thick, pulsating veins were made of human flesh, dyed deep red.
Its countless pupils were not fixed at the center but moved in all directions.
It was watching everything.
That perfectly formed eye seemed capable of seeing all.
“Rain, what’s wrong!”
However—
“D-Don’t you see that?!”
“See what…?”
Sienna, who had rushed to my side as I knelt on the ground, didn’t seem to see the eye at all.
“T-The voice—do you hear it?!”
“What voice…?”
Even more shocking—
[So many insignificant creatures. Our world has become infested with vermin.]
That voice, which thundered inside my mind, seemed to go unnoticed by everyone else.
It was a man’s voice, and an old one.
A child’s voice, and a woman’s.
A middle-aged man’s, and a maiden’s.
An infant’s, and a youth’s.
A grotesque amalgamation of voices—
And yet, only the Viscount and I seemed to hear it.
Why?
Why could I hear it? My head swirled in confusion.
[Oh? A beast still remains.]
The devil’s pupils constricted grotesquely into a single point—
Fixating on me.
“Gah—!”
“Rain!!”
The moment it locked eyes with me, my breath caught, and my entire body froze.
A mouse before a cat?
No, this was worse.
It was just a gaze.
And yet—
I felt like my whole body was being crushed beneath an iron weight.
[Who is your master? Why are you among insects?]
And then—
The moment that devil spoke to me—
“Guhh—!!”
The bandages wrapped around my body turned red.
And I coughed up a mouthful of blood.
“Rain!”
“W-What?! Is the rookie okay?!”
As Sienna and the knights turned to look at me in shock—
[You can’t even speak? Well, no matter.]
The devil muttered, then its pupils scattered again.
“Huff… Huff….”
“What the hell… What was that?”
What about the Viscount?
I turned my gaze back to him.
And then—
“M-My lord! O source of life, O heart of the Black Forest…! Please grant this humble worm another chance…!”
Perhaps due to Sir Barts’ attack, the Viscount’s body had been torn apart—
Yet with only half of his face remaining, he still pleaded with the devil.
“What in the….”
“That insane monster….”
The grotesque sight left the surrounding knights in shock.
Sir Barts furrowed his brows and swung his sword once more.
And then—
Boom!
Like an explosive Rush, the blade erupted at its tip—
And the Viscount’s head vanished completely.
Was it over?
…No, it couldn’t be.
Ziiiiiing—!!!
The red gemstone that had once been embedded in the Viscount’s chest—
Now lying on the ground—
Began to glow.
[Grant me another chance…! Please, bestow me your power!!]
This time, the Viscount’s voice echoed inside my head.
“The gem….”
“What?”
“Destroy that gem, now!”
The gem—it was the source.
As I fumbled at Sienna’s waist, reaching for her axe—
“So that’s what it was.”
Sir Barts must have heard me, as he swung his sword down onto the red gem.
And then—
Fwoooosh—!
The moment his sword struck the glowing red gemstone—
Boom!!
A massive explosion erupted in Sir Barts’ direction.
However—
Whoosh—!
“Pathetic.”
He shielded himself with his cloak, blocking the blast, then raised his sword once more.
And just as his blade was about to strike the gem again—
[For your efforts, I shall personally make you my apostle.]
Once more, light flared from the gem—
Fwaaaaaah—!!
From its surroundings, white spikes burst forth, rapidly encasing the gemstone.
Clang!!
The white spikes even blocked Sir Barts’ sword,
And they continued spreading, rising from the ground to fully enclose the gem.
“Persistent thing.”
But his opponent was no ordinary knight.
This was the commander of the Black Wing Knights—
One of the greatest warriors in the entire Boyd family, no, the entire kingdom.
This time, Sir Barts infused Rush into his blade and swung again.
[This insect is quite large.]
Boom!!
From around the gem, black spikes shot out, sending Sir Barts flying.
“Commander!”
The knights, who had been holding their swords ready in case they interfered with Sir Barts, immediately charged at the Viscount.
However—
Clang!! Boom!!
“Damn it!”
The surrounding area had already been overrun with white spikes, making it impossible to approach.
And to make matters worse—
“Protect the apostle.”
“You vile heretics!”
As if guided by the devil, devil worshippers started emerging from the shadows, one by one.
“This is bad….”
“The situation is getting out of control….”
A volatile moment.
My gaze turned back to the black spikes surrounding the Viscount.
They seemed to be a direct manifestation of the devil’s power.
The fact that they had managed to send Sir Barts flying meant they were no joke—
But now, they were slowly crumbling away.
Was that all the direct power the devil could exert?
If so, that was at least somewhat reassuring.
But more importantly—
“The Viscount is mine and Squad Three’s responsibility! Squad Two, stop the devil worshippers!”
“Yes, sir!”
The situation had escalated significantly.
Where had Sir Barts been blasted away to?
Had he managed to defend himself?
I turned my gaze toward the knights splitting up to handle the devil worshippers and the Viscount.
I needed to help too…
“Gah…!”
“Stay still!”
…But ever since I locked eyes with that demonic gaze, my body had been utterly wrecked.
I could barely move.
Still—
If I could muster up my Aura, I might be able to move once.
“Huuuh….”
Taking a deep breath,
I slowly tightened my grip on my sword and lifted my head.
If I had only one chance to act—
Then I wouldn’t waste it on some random devil worshipper.
I would swing my sword at the Viscount.
“Hahaha! Hahahaha!! Thank you! Kiieeeeekk!!”
Amidst the white spikes erupting from the ground.
The Viscount was reforming his body at the center of it all.
Yeah, I really wanted to cut him down.
Drunk on power, he had become arrogant again.
How had he turned so disgusting?
I had once thought him a decent noble when we first met.
But now, watching him cackle like a madman—
Regenerating naked in the middle of the battlefield—
I wanted nothing more than to slaughter him where he stood.
So—
Ignoring the surrounding chaos.
I focused solely on the Viscount.
And at that moment—
“This is the end!”
The Viscount shouted.
The spikes surrounding him shifted, forming a large circular enclosure—
A massive arena-like space.
And then—
“I’ll kill you all.”
From his fully regenerated hands,
A dark crimson liquid began to drip.
…Acid?
That wasn’t just acid—it looked far deadlier than anything of the sort.
Whatever it was, that ritual had to be stopped.
“Stop him!”
“Break through all at once!”
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who had that thought.
The knights who had taken on the Viscount threw their full force into breaking through the spikes.
Boom! Boom!!
Rush exploded through the air, and someone attempted Fleet, targeting the gaps between the white spikes.
However—
“Fools!”
The ever-regenerating white spikes surrounding the Viscount didn’t let a single knight pass through.
It was as if it was an absolute defense.
And within that enclosed space, the Viscount finally pulled out a crimson spike from the black aura swirling around him.
“Damn it….”
“Everyone, be careful!”
It resembled the devil spike that had previously sent Sir Barts flying.
Seeing it, everyone tensed.
“This is my victory.”
The Viscount gripped the long spike like a whip, preparing to lash out at the knights.
But at that moment—
“You vile heretic—ugh!”
A sword flew out of nowhere—
And pierced straight through the Viscount’s head.
“Not bad, Viscount.”
And right after—
From within the space enclosed by those unyielding white spikes,
A figure appeared far too easily.
Sir Barts.
His armor was dented and dirtied,
But somehow, he had defended himself and emerged unscathed.
“Viscount….”
“Let’s finish this.”
He grabbed the sword embedded in the Viscount’s head—
Crunch!!
And ripped it out, immediately swinging it again.
“Aaaaargh!!”
However—
The Viscount wasn’t going to go down easily.
He lashed out with the crimson spike in his hand.
Clang!! Clang! Clang!!!
The Viscount’s crimson spike and Sir Barts’ sword clashed mid-air.
Steel colliding against corrupted power.
“Commander!”
Even as they fought,
Swish!!
The white spikes continued blocking the other knights,
As if they had eyes on the back of their heads.
…The devil’s power had enhanced the Viscount’s entire body, not just his regeneration and spike control.
Clang! Clang!! Clang!!!
After the initial surprise attack.
The Viscount was now trading blows with Sir Barts on equal footing.
Even worse—
Slash—!!
“Aaaagh!!”
The Viscount’s limbs, ears, and face were being cut apart—
But each time, they instantly regenerated.
His healing factor was so absurd, even a Troll would cry in despair.
And that crimson spike-whip of his was a massive problem.
Clang!! Crack!!
Every time it clashed with Sir Barts’ sword,
I could see the knight’s blade wearing down—
The acidic properties of the spike were corroding the metal.
Not only that—
I had a bad feeling every time I looked at it.
It felt like that spike held even more sinister abilities.
As the battle escalated—
Boom!!!
Sir Barts unleashed Rush.
A massive explosion shook the battlefield.
And through the smoke, I saw Sir Barts forced backward.
And his sword—
It was already falling apart.
It wouldn’t be surprising if it snapped at any moment.
“Now, let’s finish this!!”
As the smoke cleared,
The Viscount emerged—
And launched his crimson spikes forward.
“Commander!”
“Damn it!”
The spikes grew dozens of times in size—
Like a web, they spread out, closing in around Sir Barts from all directions.
This is insane—
If those web-like spikes touched him,
Even the strongest knight would melt away in an instant.
At that moment—
“Rotate.”
Sir Barts muttered softly, swinging his sword.
Swoosh…
The air itself—
Twisted like a whirlpool, spiraling violently.
“Ah…”
The moment I saw it, I knew—
This wasn’t something an ordinary Aura user could do.
This was a unique technique, one only possible for those who had reached a higher realm of enlightenment.
…Sir Barts was an Aura Master.
And then—
Whoooosh—!!
The Viscount’s crimson spikes were swept into the spiraling current,
Erased without resistance.
“What…?!”
As the Viscount’s face twisted in shock.
I steeled myself.
Gathering every ounce of strength in my body.
“Rain?”
This was it—the opening I had been waiting for.
The Viscount, caught off guard, had his entire focus on Sir Barts.
“Please take good care of Whitey.”
Muttering that, I enveloped my entire body in Aura.
‘Vision Track.’
Time slowed.
With my sharpened senses, I could clearly see the vivid crimson trails cutting through the air.
I never knew they could look this distinct.
“Ra…in…!”
This felt amazing.
‘Fleet.’
This was my moment for the final strike.
Boom—!!
My body rushed forward, cutting through this slowed world.
Swish—!!
The Viscount’s white spikes surged toward me from all directions, realizing too late what was happening.
But I was faster.
In an instant—
I was right in front of the Viscount.
“Fool! I see you!”
His eyes locked onto me, and he thrust his hand out.
From his palm, a white spike shot forward, aimed directly at my left chest.
At this rate, it would pierce straight through my heart.
However—
My razor-sharp senses did not perceive it as a threat.
And so, with a calm mind, I swung my sword.
Crack—!
The Viscount’s spike struck my chest.
At that moment—
Fwoooosh—!!
The blue necklace I had received from Lorenz during last year’s mountain investigation
erupted with light.
And then—
Slash—!!
My sword sliced diagonally downward, cleaving into the Viscount’s shoulder.
“Gaaahhh!!”
It ripped through his armpit and chest.
Heading straight for the gem embedded in the center of his torso.
Crack—! Crackle—!!
The gem, already fractured from Sir Barts’ strike, began pouring out wild energy as soon as my blade touched it.
“Aaaaaahhh!!!”
As the Viscount screamed in agony, I poured every last bit of my Aura into my sword.
The blade swelled with power—
And then—
Shatter—!!
The red gem cracked open, unleashing a tremendous surge of energy.
And in that moment—
‘Rush.’
I activated Rush,
BOOOOOM—!!!
The fractured gem split apart, and finally—
It shattered completely.
“GRAAAAHHH!!”
The explosion of energy tore apart half of the Viscount’s upper body,
While my beloved sword from Gareth—
Snapped in half.
However—
Even as the weapon I had cherished for so long lay broken, my eyes remained locked onto the spot where the gem had been.
Floating in its place was a small sphere,
pulsing with blinding light and terrifying energy.
It was neither Aura nor Mana—
but something far more powerful and alien.
For a brief moment.
I felt a deep, primal fear take hold of me.
“No… NO!!”
The Viscount, despite losing half his body, thrust out his remaining arm, reaching for the sphere.
“Damn it…!”
I reached out as well—
But the Viscount’s hand was closer.
Just as his fingers were about to touch the sphere—
Whiiirrr—!!
A throwing axe flew out of nowhere—
THWACK!!
It buried itself into the Viscount’s hand, forcing his arm downward.
And so—
The sphere fell into my grasp instead.
“Wh… Wh— AAAAGGHHH!!!”
The Viscount’s face twisted in horror—
And at that moment—
Fwoooosh—!!
“Urgh…!!”
A searing pain tore through my left hand.
“Ghhhhh—!!”
“No! No, this can’t be! Give it back!!”
The Viscount, with an axe still buried in his hand, lunged forward and grabbed my throat.
[A beast is still better than an insect.]
“Rain!!”
With the devil’s whisper echoing in my mind.
An overwhelming pain struck me—
And my consciousness faded.
