Book 19 Chapter 18
A fragment of the Old Nobility,
Dirbeta Front (5)
The breakthrough power of Lista's party, aided by the Sasadan, was truly astonishing.
Around the time Lin's party was successively destroying the dolmens north of <Yukahara>, Lista's party arrived at the innermost part of <Yukahara>.
However, there were too many Uruks and Trolls guarding the Altar of Harvest.
“Crazy, they must have launched a full-scale assault, but does it make sense that so many troops are still here?”
Lista's party consists of masters who have reached the pinnacle in all battles, whether one-on-one or one-against-many. And there is also the support of 300 members of the Sasadan.
However…
As beings born carrying the burden of mortality, limits exist for them. Their power is bound to be exhausted in the face of an abnormally large number.
“It's not just a lot! It's because of that!”
Above the Golden Pyramid of Harvest, grandly built by trolls with volcanic rock, an eye… an ancient eye was looking down at them.
That eye, calls.
That eye, awakens.
It clearly takes away the rest of annihilation from the demons who have died and perished. The Uruks and Trolls, who have become immortal beings, are reborn as beings of sand.
“Kies, blow that damn thing away!”
Kies wiped his blood- and sweat-soaked fingers on the hem of his upper garment. He had already unleashed Sky Cherry Blossom Slayer multiple times.
But the opponent!
A being vanquished by <The Ones Who Came> or the Eldia heroes! That means, it was a being that couldn't be vanquished by anyone less powerful!
‘Damn it! What is that barrier?’
That helplessness was similarly felt by Shimian, who was chanting the miracle of Shurigan.
The miracle of Shurigan is the love of creation.
That love purifies all that is corrupted. In short, it transforms a sandfield, where one sinks up to their thighs in an instant, into flat land.
‘Isn't it being blocked…!’
The path that had been extending flatly was completely blocked from a certain point, preventing further advance.
「The time of harvest ends… and now again… the time of eternal annihilation is about to begin…」
This is all because the power of the Old Nobility had spread a barrier to the south of the Golden Pyramid! The form of that barrier was an unreally dense sandstorm!
“Something, it looks like it’s going to do something!”
“The Old Nobility is about to awaken! We have to stop it! Sasadan, lend us some strength!”
Freya’s cry was answered by Paladin Riven in an angry tone.
“Fae Quorian! These are the Khyral Clan! They command the strongest wolf cavalry! Against these guys, advancing one step in 30 seconds is still fast!”
The Holtranks faction was already advancing, but the problem was the overwhelming number of Uruks and Trolls!
「Hahahahahahahahaha…」
At that moment, the eye above the Golden Pyramid began to tremble. Simultaneously, the world, the entire world, began to shake before its immense oppressive aura.
Hundreds of thousands of harvested lives were being reconstructed into the body of a great being.
To stop that, there is no other way than to collapse the base of the Golden Pyramid, or to shatter the 'Gate of Eternity' at its summit!
“Ah, no…”
Eumhuibaek is one of Neigalas's chief confidantes, one of the Four Annihilation Lords, among <The Forgotten Kings>. If it awakens, disaster will strike the entire world.
“Eumhuibaek is…!”
Its form is an ancient mystery.
“The Old Nobility is awakening…!”
If one could gracefully forge the muscles and bones of a reptile into the shape of armor, it would surely look like that.
A great form is being created…
Its body, imbued with the power of immortality, is an amorphous sandstorm; sand can be seen swirling through the gaps in its armor.
“Lista!”
At that moment, Lista, who had vanished into the temporal rift, suddenly appeared above the Golden Pyramid.
The targeted objective was the Altar of Harvest.
The power gathered in his sword was sufficient. His jumping power was also enough; if he merely touched it, collapsing that massive structure would be no feat at all.
“!!!”
However, at that moment, the blade of the holy sword was blocked in mid-air!
At an unbelievable speed, so quickly, the scythe of the Old Nobility, whose body was almost fully formed!
It is said that the Scythe of Harvest absorbs the life force of all living things and makes it its own.
「Do you fear that tomorrow (the coming day) which you, with mortal perception, cannot know, will arrive? Hahahahahahahahaha…」
Even Lista himself didn't know how many fragments of time he had split to approach this far in an instant.
That strike!
That single blow!
To block it so easily, a feeling closer to despair than bewilderment washed over his mind.
‘Just this one exchange of blows made my fingertips tingle. Physically, it's several times stronger than me…!’
Even if it's a hero party that has been on an undefeated winning streak, can they truly guarantee victory against the Old Nobility awakened with its full power?
‘The opponent is Asarakart. A ruler of the old era?’
Naturally, they couldn't guarantee it.
The members of Lista's party present there also thought the same.
Because Lin wasn't here right now.
「…！」
That meant, if Lin was there, it would be worth trying, and the moment they thought so, the boy appeared miraculously as always.
This time, instead of appearing directly!
By embroidering clear, cold moisture and chill upon this ancient sandstorm that devours all living things… he soon pushed the hero party forward with the light of life.
「Uuuugh…?!」
The Old Nobility's barrier was concentrated in the south of <Yukahara>, and the northern defenses were rather neglected.
From that north!
A piercing arrow of ice!
It pierced through the air above the Golden Pyramid of Harvest with a vibrant blue light, more vigorous than any life.
5-star magic.
Ice Wheel River Pressure Bow.
This magic freezes targets that are impossible to pierce the moment it strikes.
Freezing is the act of fixing the cohesion of particles.
As the cohesive force that organically maintained the object's hardness becomes fixed, it confers an effect where even the smallest scratch leads to a crack.
- Now here, the [Strongest Archmage] makes a grand entrance.
- Kkyuuing!
Although these were voices that couldn't be heard because they weren't present, the hero party's companions felt as if they could hear the welcome hallucinations of the two.
‘As expected, Lin, you are…!’
Therefore, even though the situation was spiraling into extreme despair, a smile could form on everyone's lips at that moment.
“The altar has collapsed! The ritual of harvest is ending!”
It was exactly as Freya shouted, clenching her fist.
The power that used sand as its body and forged ancient storms into armor began to dissipate.
The pre-origins nightmare that was descending upon the present world began to twist again. Eumhuibaek painfully writhed its body, and its armor began to crumple in various places.
「WuGaBuuuuuuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA──!」
If this story were to have ended with just Lin's brilliant performance, the Dirbeta Front would never have been recorded in history as one of the most critical front lines.
Behold!
The next moment! The moment it lost its connection to the present world, and its immortal soul was sucked back into the dimensional rift!
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
The Old Nobility's sandstorm surged high, then plunged down into the ranks of the Firestone Realm Trolls arrayed beneath the Golden Pyramid!
More precisely, into their chieftain, Ogkhan!
Ogkhan's fiercely trembling body collapsed, stone-like flesh scattering everywhere… and an immortal with reptilian bone-armor appeared!
“Lista, retreat!”
Freya shouted, deploying the barrier of the Divine Love Psalm.
“But…!”
Lista hesitated, judging that a decisive battle must be fought at this very moment of the Old Nobility's descent, but Freya shook her head.
“That idiot had to use a troll as an avatar because of Lin! It couldn't manifest in its true form! It probably can only use half of its original power, if even that much?”
“!!!”
“So for now, we retreat and join Lin, and everyone else! Those guys can't even use a quarter of their power, but we can fight with our full might!”