I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain-Chapter 709

A shriek unlike anything it had ever released as an archdemon erupted together with a shockwave. The sound was so savage it felt as though it were tearing souls apart. The raging storm of chaos was blasted outward in an instant, forced away in every direction.

Rumble—

The circular veil of divinity surrounding them swelled dangerously, straining as though on the verge of shattering. A violent gust tore even into the protected space. Everyone instinctively lowered their stances, and Thesaya wrapped both arms around Moro’s neck.

"Ugh!"

"That ominous sound...."

Groans and muttered laments, large and small, pierced her ears. Among them was Cherwyn’s unmistakable, ragged panting.

"High Priestess!"

Thesaya did not turn around. It was not because the divine veil still held, nor because she heard Miguel scrambling urgently back onto the wagon.

"--------!"

Even as the shriek and shockwaves continued, Ian hadn't been driven back.

He was still forcing his greatsword downward.

The red divinity clinging to him blazed like a torch in the wind. Golden wings and horns of magic scattered shimmering trails over his snapping cloak, which streamed behind him like a battle banner.

Crack— Crunch...

The blade sank deeper with every passing moment. Akihatara’s split body tilted and spread wider, the rift yawning open as if the upper half were about to be cleaved apart entirely.

Shatter—

However, before that could happen, Ian’s magic wings and horns shattered. They broke apart and scattered like dust, and he was flung back with the greatsword, bursting through a cloud of glittering magical remnants.

—Ah, I knew it... It’s not just the appearance that’s different.

As Ian slammed into the ground, bounced, and was hurled back again, an oddly unhurried whisper slipped into Thesaya’s mind, utterly out of place.

The distance between them had shortened, yet the voice crackled with static, distorted by the chaos-tainted shockwaves.

—It’s nothing like the other fragment... yes... a shard of Eternal Agony....

That alone made Thesaya’s narrowed eyes twitch.

Yog knew exactly what that creature was, even as its body lay split open and it continued to howl.

So it really is an avatar of an ancient god

At least now it was certain that a divine fragment dwelled within the archdemon. Given the enormous number of its kin and countless thralls it had consumed as sacrifices, that was hardly strange. It was probably not a mere sliver of an avatar, either.

Rumble!

Having paid a sufficient price, it might not even have violated the laws of the world. That also meant the heavens would be unable to intervene directly.

If that was the case, then Dharmaraja must have intended to wipe out the North entirely. Even if Akihatara had been stopped, there would have been no way to halt that incarnation. With the central regions already on edge, aid from the Great Church would have been out of reach as well.

Rumble—

Of course, that was only true in a world where the Demigod of the North did not exist.

Thesaya looked toward Ian, who had come to a halt after driving the greatsword into the ground at the flank of the avatar. His hooded cloak, reduced almost to rags, still clung stubbornly to him. Beneath it, red divinity surged and rolled.

He was enduring just fine, even after the dragon spell had vanished.

—Hearing you curse at moments like this always has a special charm, you know.

The faint, amused whisper seeping into her mind was proof enough.

—Don’t misunderstand, my friend... It’s not that I want you to be in danger.

Letting the words pass, Thesaya turned around. The storm of chaos was being torn apart and scattered, revealing the scenery that had been hidden beyond it.

Good. That side’s holding, just as expected.

A quiet sigh of relief escaped her as she confirmed the Crimson Legion arrayed before the wall. Not only were they all intact, but they had already re-formed their lines.

They were ready to advance the moment the storm fully subsided.

Rumble—

For now, though, they couldn't move. The distance dulled the shockwaves into little more than fierce gusts, yet all they could do was crouch low and fight to keep their footing.

More than that, they were transfixed by the colossal Avatar of Agony now fully revealed before them.

Fwoosh...

High atop the wall, the garrison and legion soldiers were staring down at the same scene. Above their heads, violet-tinged storm clouds churned ominously.

Only after taking in the sight of another brazier wagon on the far side holding out just as well as this one did, Thesaya finally turned back to the front.

"Crazy... damn it...."

The shrieks and shockwaves were fading. As Miguel, standing protectively in front of Cherwyn, let out a strained groan, Thesaya fixed her gaze once more on the avatar, whose upper body had been split apart.

Squelch— Crunch—

From the torn cross-section, writhing tentacles stretched outward and intertwined, slowly knitting the upper body back together. Below, the mass of tentacles that had swallowed its lower half spread across the ground like the roots of an ancient tree, squirming ominously.

The thought crossed Thesaya’s mind that it might even be able to move in that state.

—That greatsword looks like it’ll break soon, my friend. Better to take out the black one... oh no. Again?

Yog’s whisper, which had been relatively clear, faded mid-thought. Almost at the same moment, crimson divinity flared up beyond them like fire.

Ian, his hood pulled low and the greatsword clenched in both hands, was rising to his feet.

"--------!"

The battle cry that tore from him was just as thunderous as the one unleashed by the Avatar of Agony. Unlike the creature’s howl, however, it carried waves of divine power that rolled outward in pulses.

Karha had clearly bestowed even greater blessings.

Of course, Thesaya had no way of knowing that Ian was cursing him inwardly. All that brushed past her mind was Yog’s weary sigh, which quickly faded away.

"Oooooooooo—"

"Great Demigod!"

The barbarian warriors’ shouts burst out from behind as if in answer. As they raised their weapons and forced themselves back to their feet, crimson divinity burned even more vividly across their forms. Even the wounded piled in the cargo beds were no different.

Fwoosh—

The moment Ian finished his roar, he launched himself forward without sparing the legion a single glance. Contrary to Yog’s advice, the greatsword was still raised high.

The Avatar of Agony had yet to complete the regeneration of its upper body, but tentacles carpeting the area lashed out like whips.

Rumble—

Spines and gaping maws split open along their lengths, scattering violet trails from embedded eyes. Almost simultaneously, Ian leaped, leaving a red streak behind him as he unfolded the Platinum Barrier.

Rumble—

Violet and red trajectories collided head-on. Sparks and shockwaves erupted in blinding flashes, and severed tentacles were sent spinning through the air.

Cheers and shouts exploded from behind.

"You’re doing great! Kill it! Please, kill it, brother!"

Even Miguel was shouting recklessly now.

Thesaya’s eyes, however, narrowed instead.

As a mage, she could tell at a glance that Ian was weaving gray magic into his assault. With so many eyes fixed on him, he couldn't use any spell that would stand out. That was likely why he still hadn't drawn the demonic blade.

Having too many witnesses isn’t always a good thing...

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she stiffened. It was not because Ian, having kicked off a severed tentacle, twisted urgently and raised the Platinum Barrier again.

Squelch... Crunch...

An ominous sound brushed faintly past her ears, slipping through the cheers and applause. It was so quiet that only someone like her, a fairy, could have caught it.

The problem was that it came from all directions.

Boom—

A massive wing of tentacles swept past Ian, triggering a chain of violet explosions. As he was hurled backward through the blasts with the Platinum Barrier raised, Thesaya straightened and snapped her head around.

The moment her gaze swept past the hazy, undulating divine veil, Thesaya’s eyes widened as if they might tear.

"We need to get ready to fight." She finally released the breath she had been holding and forced the words out.

Behind her, Miguel, standing guard beside Cherwyn, turned toward her.

"What do you mean by that? If we jump in now, we’ll just get in his way—"

"That’s not what I mean! Everyone, get a grip! Don’t look over there. Look around us!" Thesaya snapped, irritation cutting through her voice.

She swept her gaze over the priests and wounded and added sharply, "The corpses are reviving. They’re becoming minions of that avatar body!"

"W-What?" Miguel’s eyes widened as he finally turned around.

The priests, frozen in shock, and the wounded who could still move followed his gaze past the wagons. Everyone around drew sharp breaths within seconds.

Squelch... Crunch...

Through the haze of chaos residue drifting like mist, slow, writhing movements came into view. From torn and mutilated corpses, tentacles were forcing their way out.

The faint sounds clawing at their ears came from joints twisting out of alignment and flesh ripping apart.

"Oh, Lu Entre..."

Low murmurs of dread rippled through the crowd. Only now did they understand that the avatar’s scream hadn't been meant solely to regenerate its body.

"Can’t you hear me?"

Almost at the same moment, Thesaya sprang up onto Moro’s saddle and turned toward the rear as she shouted, "Get ready to fight, you idiots! The corpses are coming back to life!"

Magic rode her voice. As a result, the nosebleed that had just subsided burst out again, blood dripping down sharply.

However, thanks to that, the gazes of barbarian warriors mesmerized by the mythical battle focused on her at once.

"What— what is this?"

"Since when—"

Only then did they grasp the changes unfolding around them, brows knitting into deep frowns. That was when Mev forced her way through the barbarian warriors and stepped forward.

She must have been guarding the area before the gate until now. Of course, that detail hardly mattered.

"At this rate, the braziers will be completely surrounded! Hurry, Redhead!"

As Thesaya shouted while wiping the blood from her nose, Mev raised her sword high above her head, dark crimson divinity clinging to both hands.

"Let’s save our comrades! All forces! Charge—"

With a thunderous cry, she burst forward. There was not a trace of hesitation in her movements.

"Let’s save our brothers—"

"Charge!"

The Crimson Legion surged after her like a burst dam, divinity-infused weapons crashing down upon the mutating corpses spewing tentacles.

Crash! Crunch—

The area descended into chaos in an instant. Between the legion and the braziers, an overwhelming number of corpses were writhing back to life, having been shoved there by the chaos storm and its shockwaves.

"They’re too slow...."

Despite their momentum, the legion’s advance dragged, precisely because of that sheer number.

Thesaya’s gaze swept anxiously over Mev at the forefront and the legion pressing in behind her. She spotted Mukapa standing out amid the fray, and even Naser, miraculously still mounted.

Then, all at once, she staggered.

"-------!"

From far away, another harrowing scream tore through the air. Unlike before, it carried only a violent gale, not a shockwave.

The avatar had turned its attention toward Ian at its flank.

Rumble—

Ian was driven backward, boots skidding as he lowered himself behind the Platinum Barrier. Behind him, within the ruined city, another cloud of dust and debris billowed upward.

Thesaya, however, had already turned back and settled firmly into Moro’s saddle. She did not spare that sight a glance.

Crunch... Squelch...

The mutating corpses pushed back by the gale were drawing even closer to the divine veil. Between them and the avatar, bodies lay piled just as densely. Worse still, they were mutating faster with each passing moment.

"Damn it! I’m not dying like this! We have to fight!"

"Priest! Pray for us! Now! You can heal us right away!"

Shouts erupted from the supply wagons as the wounded clamored. The fury in their voices was understandable. It was no longer just monsters rising again.

Dead horses and fallen warriors alike were sprouting tentacles, twisting and swelling into grotesque forms.

"As I told you, we mere priests cannot ask for the grace of embers!"

A priest answered immediately, his face contorted with distress as he looked around the wagons.

"Power that oversteps the laws of the world always brings consequences. You may suffer lifelong aftereffects!"

"We’re about to die anyway! What does that matter? Do it! Now!"

"Even if I die, I’d rather die fighting than rot here like a cripple!"

As the wounded shouted back fiercely, the priests exchanged helpless looks, glancing once more toward the wagons.

Miguel, who had been listening in silence, finally said, "The priests are right. The Goddess’s divinity is protecting us. If we hold out a little longer, the legion will come to save us."

"No. Let them do it, Prosthetic." Thesaya cut in without hesitation.

Miguel froze and turned toward her as she continued, "The Saintess is already exhausted. It’ll be hard for her to hold on until the legion arrives. And those people are warriors. Even if they die, they should die like warriors."

Miguel couldn't immediately argue back. He, too, had been worried about Cherwyn’s condition.

"Ugh...."

As he hesitated, applause and shouts suddenly erupted from the supply wagons.

"Correct words... indeed!"

"As expected! The Third Consort understands our hearts!"

"Right! Survive after battle, or die as a warrior!"

Thesaya, staring at Miguel, twitched her eyes a beat late.

"Third?"

Only then did she realize there was something in those words she absolutely couldn't ignore.

"I’m not even the second?"