I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy-Chapter 704

The ground was carpeted in dark crimson ice shards. Every fragment of the monsters caught in the earlier blast had frozen solid along with them.

Screech—

All around, the battlefield was in utter disarray. Monsters were tangled together in writhing chaos, crushed and piled atop one another. It seemed the frigid air that had swept through at the last moment had merely pushed them back, not destroyed them entirely.

Mev scanned the scene, then lowered her left arm. Her gaze finally settled on the back of the elder fairy, whose silver hair whipped violently in the wind.

“That was an incredible spell. Good wo—”

Before she could finish, Thesaya suddenly doubled over, clamping a hand over her mouth as she coughed violently.

Mev’s brow twitched. Blood was spilling through Thesaya’s fingers.

"Thesa!"

“I’m fine. It’s fine.” Thesaya answered through a rasping cough.

She shook the blood from her hand as she straightened. “It’s just because I used too much magic. It’s nothing. Keep praising my magnificent spell, Redhead.”

“Yeah. It really was incredible, archmage.” Mev hesitated, then nodded.

Thesaya’s mouth was smeared with blood, and her nose was bleeding freely. By any reasonable measure, she didn’t look fine at all. Still, Mev had no intention of shattering the forced smile Thesaya was clinging to.

As Mukapa shook the frost from his cloak and turned away, Thesaya wiped the blood from her mouth with the edge of her cloak and said, “That’s all you’ve got? Such a poor vocabulary, Redhead. Anyway, I think I need to rest for a bit.”

She glanced toward the gateway and shrugged. “You handle that one yourselves.”

Beyond the gate, which had been obscured by the shattered remains of the previous giant, another void giant was now clearly coming into view.

“Got it—” Mev narrowed her eyes and nodded, then abruptly turned around.

The rear had grown brighter. And it wasn’t her imagination.

Rumble—

Two orange pillars of fire surged upward from the rear of the Crimson Legion, which had fallen far behind. They were the sacred flames of Lu Entre.

Boom, boom, boom!

The pillars split apart in an instant, scattering like fountains before transforming into countless flames that rained down upon the monsters.

Screech—

Those caught in the downpour burned like living torches. Nearby monsters shrieked and recoiled, colliding with one another in panicked disorder.

“Charge!”

“Praise the Blazing Goddess—”

Whether the sacred flame in the brazier had been stoked again or the Saintess had regained her strength didn’t matter. What mattered was the result. Thanks to it, the legion’s advance speed increased noticeably.

“Of all times, they steal the spotlight right after my moment,” Thesaya muttered, clicking her tongue.

Mev turned her gaze forward again, not toward Thesaya, but toward Moro, which stood facing the flank.

“Fall back now. I trust you to protect Thesa.”

At her command, Moro snorted sharply. Violet light flared in its eyes as it charged forward, like a black bison clad in armor storming into battle.

"Ugh—"

Thrown off balance, Thesaya grabbed fistfuls of Moro’s stiff mane as she was carried away.

"Wait a minute! Why are you charging that way? This isn't protecting me, you stupid—"

Her scream-like protest was swallowed almost immediately by the sound of tearing flesh and the roars of monsters.

Mev did not look back. Her gaze was fixed on the inner fortress ahead and slightly to the left, and not only because the monsters were surging forward once more.

Roar—

A chaos-tainted bellow erupted near the inner fortress’s main gate.

An ogre was glaring in their direction, radiating purple waves. Mev’s eyes narrowed as she instantly realized it wasn’t a mere mutated ogre.

Another of Akihatara’s limbs.

It was larger than the others, with feathers growing like a mane along it. It wore crude armor that looked stitched together from bones, and unfinished, misshapen wings jutted from its back.

It was clearly a demon, or something close to one. Perhaps it was the one commanding the monsters that were forcing their way into the inner fortress.

Screech!

The monsters advancing toward the fortress abruptly changed direction and turned toward her. That alone was proof enough.

Maybe this is for the best.

Mev glanced up at the wall. The flying monsters that had once filled the sky were gone, but the battle there had not ceased. Reddish lights flickered amid large and small explosions, flashing again and again.

“We’ve got more demons to deal with,” Mukapa said in a low, rumbling voice. Gripping his battle hammer, he watched the ogre as it began moving toward them.

Lowering her gaze, Mev said, “It looks like we’ll each need to take one. Can you manage?”

"Yes," The reply was immediate and concise.

Mev did not ask further. “Then I’ll leave that ogre to you.”

She tightened her grip on Selim’s reins. That meant she would face the giant emerging from the gateway herself. It was a natural division of roles. She was both an apostle of a goddess and the Vice Commander of the Crimson Legion.

Snort...

Selim pawed the ground, glaring at the approaching monsters, then dashed forward as if it had been waiting for the command. Though it had yet to earn the title of holy beast, it was far from an ordinary warhorse—especially now, with Mev’s divinity flowing through it.

"Oh Karha—"

"Keep pushing! The gateway isn't far!"

As the barbarians’ shouts rose chaotically behind her, Mev rose in her stirrups and swung her lowered blade with force.

Swoosh— Crunch!

The dark red arc tore through the monsters once more. Mukapa naturally fell into position at her left rear, preparing to face the demon ogre.

Roar—

Moro was rampaging along the right rear as well. After smashing and trampling monsters indiscriminately, it soon turned and began following behind Mev.

Whether it was to guard her back or simply to escape the oppressive heat of the sacred flames was unclear.

Perched awkwardly on Moro’s saddle, Thesaya clung to the rings with a half-resigned expression, doing her best to keep her balance.

Crunch, rumble—

Mev continued swinging her sword without pause, briefly glancing back before refocusing ahead. The giant of the void passing through the towering gateway now came fully into view.

Swoosh...

The ominous eye embedded diagonally in the center of its torso was already fixed on her. violet fissures spread across its massive body like cracks in glass. It clearly understood what had happened to its kin.

Of course, Mev paid it no mind.

If I can stop that thing...

If the Crimson Legion could encircle the gate, then the monsters would be the ones charging straight into a killing ground. With the aerial monsters wiped out, it was the most rational way to defend the fortress.

And with the sacred flames supporting them, dealing with any additional demons would be far easier. For now, that void giant was the final obstacle.

For Ian’s sake, if nothing else.

Gritting her teeth as if making a vow, Mev swung her sword ceaselessly. She had already passed alongside the inner fortress.

Boom!

A heavy tremor rippled through the ground behind her, followed by a faint vibration. Mev reflexively lowered her stance and glanced back.

Rumble...

Amid the chaos near the fortress, she caught sight of the ogre staggering in the distance. Mukapa, battle hammer in hand, was charging straight into its midst.

Growl—

Moro’s ferocious roar echoed as it followed after him.

Turning forward once more, Mev almost unconsciously slashed through the monsters blocking her path.

“Let’s keep going, Selim.”

At her whisper, Selim lowered its head and smashed through the monsters with even greater force. As she continued swinging her blade, Mev placed her right foot atop the saddle.

She was imitating a technique Ian often used. Of course, it was something she would never attempt without the Goddess’s blessing upon her.

Crunch, crack—

The reason she had not drawn the divine sword was simple. She had already swung it twice today. No matter how much its owner permitted it, she, as a mere bearer, could not allow herself to damage the blade. And under the Stern Goddess’s blessing, she was confident she could face this monster without it.

If I strike the weakness first.

Mev lifted her gaze to the approaching giant. The weakness she had in mind was, of course, the eyeball embedded obliquely in the center of that torso.

Her eyes twitched at that moment.

The giant abruptly halted, then swung its club-like arm forward. At the same time, its torso writhed and contracted, while the arm grotesquely swelled.

Whoosh—

Mev did not wait to see what followed. She kicked off the saddle and hurled herself forward. The magic stones embedded in her armor flared to life, and a raging gust wrapped around her, hurling her.

Swoosh—

As Mev raised her sword, the giant’s eyeball vanished, as if sucked back into its shriveling torso. Almost simultaneously, the violet glow enveloping it boiled over, blazing with blinding intensity.

Clang—

In the next moment, the giant exploded.

Fragments that had been compressed into its right arm blasted outward in a wave of blistering pressure, slamming directly into Mev. They failed to pierce her armor, but the impact alone was enough to hurl her away.

Crash!

Mev tumbled across the ground, crashing violently into monsters before finally skidding to a halt. The magic stones embedded across her full plate flickered erratically, then burst one after another.

As the dimmed divinity flared brightly once more, Mev shook her head and barely braced herself against the ground. Her entire body throbbed, her thoughts swimming.

Sizzle...

Even amidst this, the mutated goblins crushed beneath her were trembling and burning in the divinity. Nearby monsters, thrown off by the shockwave, tangled together and flailed helplessly.

Screech!

Despite that, a handful of mutated kobolds and goblins still charged toward her.

Mev reflexively swung the sword she had somehow kept hold of.

Crunch—

A wavering red arc wrapped around her, more than enough to cut down the creatures rushing in.

Extending her arms fully, Mev staggered but managed to remain upright. At the very least, her limbs were intact. Her hearing had not failed her either.

Agonized screams echoed from afar, drilling into her ears. Mev snapped her eyes open and jerked her head up at once.

"Selim!"

The explosion that had swept the area returned to her with startling clarity. Using her sword like a cane, she forced herself upright and turned her gaze.

Her vision was clearing, but there was no trace of the giant left behind. Only wisps of violet smoke lingered in the air like an afterimage.

Grrr—

At the same time, monsters regaining their footing came sharply into focus. She was effectively isolated in their midst.

Tap, tap!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Mev charged toward them instead. Her left hand had already closed around the hilt of the other blade secured crosswise against the divine sword.

Schwing—

From beneath her grip, held along the edge of her hand, a thin, slender blade slid free—High Fairy's Rapier

By the time it was fully drawn and stained red, the sword in her right hand was already carving out another arc.

Crack!

The sword cleaved apart the monsters blocking her path. Before the sword’s trail could even disperse, the rapier in her left hand traced a second arc immediately after.

Slice—

The result did not change. Arcs of differing shapes continued without pause, tearing apart everything in her path. Before the dismembered monsters could even hit the ground, Mev crashed into them and forced her way forward.

Sizzle—

Each time she advanced, the monsters’ fluids evaporated as they burned away in divinity. It looked as though a thick mist of blood was spreading outward from her.

Her steps faltered abruptly soon after. She had burst into a stretch of land that had been completely reduced to ruin.

Every nearby monster lay fallen. Those closest to the blast had been reduced, quite literally, to pulp.

Screech!

Even the survivors were in horrific condition, with fragments of flesh and bone embedded throughout their bodies. Twitching movements and whimpering screams filled the area.

Perhaps that was why no monsters dared enter this space.

Scanning the area without pause, Mev’s gaze abruptly locked onto something ahead. Among the writhing bodies, she spotted a white horse lying on its side.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Crunch— crack!

She trampled wildly over the monsters sprawled across the ground as she ran toward it.

"Selim!"

Reaching the fallen horse, Mev slid to a halt and dropped to one knee beside it. The hand gripping her sword hilt trembled.

Selim was in a wretched state, much like the surrounding monsters, with fragments lodged deep across its body. Unlike Mev, its barding did not protect its entire form.

Snort...

The beast only tilted its head slightly before releasing a wet, rattling breath and letting it fall back down. Bone fragments were embedded not only in its neck and body, but even in one eye.

“I’m sorry,” Mev said, her voice heavy, as she pressed her palm against its flank.

At that moment, some distance behind her, the grotesque mound of corpses began to stir.

Squelch... squish...

Bodies fused with wet, nauseating sounds, swelling as they merged. At the center of the growing mass, an eyelid peeled open after only a few seconds.

Crack... squelch...

The giant of the void was reconstructing itself from the surrounding corpses. It had not self-destructed at all. It had merely discarded its shell.

Screech!

That was likely the real reason the monsters had not dared approach this area. Amid the chaos, shrill screams, heavy vibrations, thick roars, distant cheers, and furious howls blurred together into a single, deafening din.

“So you were alive... I see. Then, that’s almost a relief.” Mev, who had been kneeling in silence, rose slowly to her feet.

Swoosh...

From the center of the swelling torso, a shimmering violet eye turned toward her. The divinity flowing through Mev had grown darker, thicker, and more viscous.

Selim, collapsed at her feet, was no longer moving.

Letting both swords hang loosely at her sides, Mev turned to face the giant.

“At least now, I can avenge Selim with my own hands.”

In the next moment, a dark red trajectory shot out.

Reflected clearly in the massive violet eye was the image of a lone figure charging straight at it, both blades thrust forward in unison. That was the last sight the creature ever witnessed in this world.

Crunch—

Not only her swords, but her body smashed through the eye and drove deep inside. The half-formed body toppled backward as Mev, buried in the ruptured eye, raised her blades high.

Crack, crunch—!

Crimson arcs rained down again and again. Mev did not stop until the eye had been reduced to an unrecognizable pulp.

Splat......

The enormous, swelling torso collapsed in on itself, melting like clay. Mev stared down at it without a trace of satisfaction, then turned and stood upright.

Screech! Roar—

She realized then that ear-splitting screams were echoing from all directions. With the demon dead, the monsters should have been rushing to target her once more.

She let her blades hang for just a moment before her red eyes twitched slightly.

Contrary to expectation, not a single monster was charging at her. None of them was even looking in her direction. They were simply howling, as if seized by madness.

"Don't tell me," murmuring, Mev lifted her head.

The swirling storm clouds, half-hidden beyond the wall, filled her vision. And within one side of that vortex, a vast purple glow was sharpening into focus at a terrifying speed.