Book 16 Chapter 9

The strongest dark wizard group in history!

Clash, Seven Souls (4)

Naturally, the war situation was flowing despairingly for the mercenary group [Lion's Song].

Mercenary groups operating on the Akrad Continent in this era originally made it their business to contend with monsters (mercenaries on the Adrion Continent, exemplified by the old Slayers, made it their business to fight demons).

They had generally trained powerful forces to deal with non-human entities, but it was impossible to unleash 100% of that power on this canal cruise ship.

"If you're just going to keep running away, there's nothing we can do!"

In contrast, for Carlin and Ava, the Wing-type duo of [Seven Souls], this place was practically their main stage.

Wing, meaning 'to shoot' the 'body', is called "balsin" (發身). It means moving the body as if powerfully propelled by magic.

Ava could wield the power of offense and defense through hardening, while Carlin could overwhelm opponents with power extremely concentrated on attack and speed.

Furthermore, they could use numerous hostages to block or evade enemy attacks.

"Fencion!"

Cove urgently shouted.

Fencion's Bell Sidir accurately read Ava's movement trajectory.

'This monster bastard…'

It was impossible to use a Yorhen-type in such a fleeting moment.

'It's a known fact that Wing-type mages are the natural enemies of all mages, but these guys are on a different scale entirely!'

Therefore, as soon as he grasped the trajectory, he placed his hand on the magic book he had opened and activated a spell. This was the Remedier-type method of magic use.

SCRRREEEOOONG…!

A sudden iron wall that rose in the air blocked Ava's spinning kick, but it was such a fierce offensive that the iron plate warped right before Fencion's eyes.

"Shoot!"

Shouting that again, he unfurled a 3-star Earth magic from the next page.

"Don't mind me!"

Ava, who was about to use the centrifugal force from readjusting her stance after the spinning kick to deliver a straight punch and finish Fencion.

"!"

Seeing the brilliantly released arrow of magic from Cove's bowstring, she immediately retreated, performing several aerial somersaults backward.

"Oh no…!"

Cove clicked his tongue.

Such was its overwhelming power that a hole was punctured in the hull of the canal cruise ship.

Water gradually began to rise, the ship tilted, and the hostages, huddled in the cabins, frantically tried to get onto the deck.

"No, if you come out now!"

In that instant, a lightning spear strike did not miss the brief moment Leonia, who was facing Carlin, turned her head.

A black-blue lightning tremor.

Before the sound of causality erupting as the sound barrier was pierced could echo in her ears, the spear strike should have already taken Leonia's life.

"Ah…"

However, it was 'Lulu', the second of the lionesses Leonia raised, whose heart was pierced by that spear strike.

"…No…"

Although her physique had nearly doubled in size, and her teeth, claws, and skin had become many times harder due to [King's Flesh], the lightning spear instantly pierced her heart.

"…Noooooooo!"

Through the gap of that death, [King's Flesh] extended its tendrils of corruption.

This was ultra-fast regeneration, yet it was not ultra-fast regeneration. It was regeneration that twisted muscle and bone and seized complete control of the body!

Lulu's outer skin was grotesquely covered in scales reminiscent of a reptile, and her skull was also transforming like a lizard! Her eyes became slit like a snake's.

…Puhwaak…!

Before all those mutations could occur, a colossal boomerang, tearing sharply through the air, split Lulu's body in half and pulled out her internal organs.

Windmill Boomerang.

It was Jussi the Enforcer's main weapon, but the Wing-type duo was too fast, and she had been unable to use it due to concerns about damage to the canal cruise ship.

"There was no other way. Before Lulu ceased to be Lulu…"

Jussi, catching the returning Windmill Boomerang, bit her lips miserably and bowed her head.

"…No, thank you. For doing it instead of me."

She unleashed the secret techniques of the Namryun Sword Sect, fueled by rage, but it was almost impossible to properly exert that power amidst the rampaging hostages on the sinking ship.

"Ugh, ughhh…!"

Gradually…

"Jump up, up onto the water…!"

Gradually…

"Won't our bodies be crushed by the boat coming from behind…?"

She was becoming duller.

While facing Carlin, who was thrusting her spear through gaps among the hostages, damage was accumulating in her body.

In exchange for regenerating it, [King's Flesh] consumed 'the most important thing' from its host, one by one.

'Who…'

That was humanity (人間性).

Precious memories, those that make a human human, were disappearing one by one from her mind.

'Anyone at all…'

As if mocking Lulu's euthanasia, memories of Lulu were the first to disappear.

'Help me…'

As if she had become a child… in the helplessness of returning to that distant childhood, to the time when someone would immediately rush to her aid if she cried, "Help me, Father…"

'Help me…'

But now she was an adult, and there was no one to whom she could throw such a childish tantrum.

Therefore, she did not make a sound.

The words she couldn't utter aloud simply became tears, gathering transparently at the corners of her eyes as she swung her axe, and streaming down her cheeks.

"Leonia, to your side!"

This time, she wouldn't miss… such a resolve blazed ferociously in Carlin's eyes, who had caught Leonia in her blind spot.

A strike unleashed in a state of extreme hyper-focus.

The target was the brain. Evasion and defense, none were possible. This one blow would end it.

"Kheu-heong!"

"Leonia!"

Jussi and 'Senru' hastily began to run, but they couldn't reach her in time.

'Ah…'

Was it true that time slowed down just before death?

'Me, just like this… ending?'

All sounds vanished, and only herself and the spear strike, moments before bursting her brain, were clearly and vividly imprinted on Leonia's retina.

- Princess Nia.

- Leonia.

- Nia, come here.

At that very moment, all the memories of her kingdom, family, people, and comrades from her precious past rapidly swept through her brain.

Thunder Flash (雷閃).

A black-blue lightning bolt was deflected right before her eyes, and a golden lightning bolt warmly colored her vision.

"!"

"!"

"!"

Everyone present was an expert, so they could more than glimpse the pinnacle of skill contained in this one move, this one clash.

Flawless coordinate calculation.

And the power to condense such immense strength into such a small form and unleash it. What modern mage could wield such power?

'Fencion? No, Fencion isn't good with lightning-based magic.'

Leonia urgently looked back to where the magic had come from. Carlin was already looking there.

"That's far enough."

What appeared first was a monk's staff, leaving a clear and warm ringing sound echoing through the mountains and rivers.

Beneath it, a boy in a conical hat… Lin, the mage of the hero's party, was forming a strange hand sign with his left hand.

And weren't orbs of light unfolding around him like constellations, beautifully flickering?

"That's far enough… So?"

Carlin frowned.

Then the boy narrowed one eye, as if that question was truly laughable and presumptuous.

"In this situation, 'that's far enough'—what other words do you need besides that?"

I've declared that I'll face you from now on, so what more needs to be said? What was conveyed in that single short line was truly the ultimate murderous intent!

Carlin felt a chill run down her spine.

Instinctively, Carlin's mana within her body shifted to combat readiness, and Zernix's Electrified Body Technique (電身化) was activated.

The mana flowing through Carlin's body transformed into a black-blue current, savagely flickering. The burden on her body was fierce, but it was the power to become one with the current.

"It's been a long time since I felt such fear… You shouldn't be played with; I need to kill you with my utmost effort."