Chapter 279: Heaven Above Heaven (1)

The Empire and the Anti-Empire Alliance fought a decisive battle at an unexpected point along the road to Zveta.

The Empire’s black army, true to its emotionless nature, held firm against the attacks, while the Anti-Empire Alliance, morale at its peak, advanced like mad.

In the midst of the kill-or-be-killed struggle, horrifying phenomena occurred—dead men rising again.

But the most shocking thing was happening now.

The Imperial knights began releasing tentacles and merging into a single mass.

The Alliance veterans had seen something similar in the past.

It was very much like Okua’s last desperate act.

“Could it be…?”

“The Empire using orcs?”

“Good heavens…”

Those who had not yet known the Empire’s true nature were beginning to realize that even the orc uproar had been orchestrated by the Empire.

Now, a gigantic humanoid mass of flesh began to move.

It absorbed both knights and soldiers of the Empire indiscriminately. As it grew, a massive shadow was cast over the battlefield.

The Anti-Empire Alliance’s momentum broke.

Faced with this unknown apparition, everyone began to lose the will to fight.

But then, someone ran alone toward the monster.

“I’ve finally found you!”

It was Yuri Briol.

He pushed off the ground and leapt high, generating a sword of energy so massive that every combatant on the field could see it, slicing across the monster’s abdomen.

The cold horizontal blade cut through the enemy, spilling blood.

A thick, dark red liquid poured out.

The monster wavered, retreating.

But without showing much damage, countless tentacles sprouted from the wound and began repairing it. It was so grotesque that just seeing it made one shiver.

Suddenly, a knight watching murmured,

“We must help His Highness.”

Everyone on the battlefield understood the same thing.

In the midst of this horrible situation in which humans turned into monsters, everyone instinctively knew whether they would be a help or just a hindrance in the fight.

Thus, some stepped aside to clear the way, and others ran toward the monster.

Tirbo, of the Order of Vengeance, was among the first.

Although he had once taken part in the Chronicles of the Tyrant King with some success, he knew that in a situation with monsters beyond human scale, he could not contribute anything useful.

For the first time, in the chest of one who always smiled affably, anger toward himself welled up.

He wanted to help, but he had neither the strength nor the right.

“Damn it…”

“Tirbo?”

His companion, surprised to hear him curse for the first time, widened his eyes.

“What’s wrong, Sir Tirbo?”

“I’m frustrated.”

The other smiled bitterly.

“There’s nothing to be done. But don’t forget that feeling. We still have a duty.”

He pointed to the Imperial troops still resisting the Alliance.

“That monster isn’t our problem. Let’s fulfill the task we were given. That’s the way to help His Highness.”

“Yes… you’re right.”

Tirbo raised his sword and shouted,

“Kill all the Imperial soldiers! For His Highness!”

The companions of the Order of Vengeance, who had never seen him so fired up, began to laugh.

“For His Highness!”

“For Yuri Briol!”

The Order’s spirit blazed like fire, and the Alliance front, which had faltered at the monster’s appearance, once again pushed hard against the Imperial army.

“Excellent.”

Ainzer, who had left his own front to join Yuri, spoke.

“Seems Briol can manage well enough even without us.”

“As it should be.”

While Yuri caught his breath, looking at the monster, more allies arrived.

“Long time, Yuri Briol.”

“Yes, and you’re looking well.”

“Really?”

Joining was Francesco of the Holy Kingdom, who, having regained almost all of his former strength, was performing feats worthy of his Holy Knight title in this war.

“All gathered! Hahaha!”

“You’re late.”

Also arriving was Jose of Brusen, now a veteran of the Ten Greats, always a reliable ally.

“I think I’ll be able to use much more magic.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

Appearing was Inariel, the Great Mage, whose magic could be even more powerful the more the enemy leaned toward black magic. A monster like this completely broke the balance of the world, giving Inariel the perfect opportunity to shine.

Four of the Ten Greats were gathered, plus several strong knights like Laurent and Jared.

Enough to face the monster.

“Is it just a matter of killing it?”

“It’s huge.”

The monster, noticing the group before it, began to move. It raised a massive foot, casting a shadow on the ground.

Boom!

The earth shook with its step. Then it began sweeping its legs all around, crushing both Imperials and Alliance members alike.

Inariel attacked first.

“Yuri Briol, I’ll do what you’ve long wished for.”

“Perfect!”

He formed seals, and in the sky appeared a gigantic fireball, as large as the monster’s body.

He guided it toward it, and the monster, with its poor perception, simply threw a punch. Flames engulfed it completely.

The heat was so intense that everything around turned red. Cheers were heard, but Inariel’s face did not change.

“It’s intact.”

Just as he said, the monster moved as if nothing had happened, and with the flames clinging to its body, it became even more dangerous.

“The flames don’t affect it.”

“Then put them out.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“What do you mean?”

“Wait a bit longer.”

Clicking his tongue, Yuri ran toward the monster. The fire died out, leaving only heat and steam.

He leapt onto its body.

“Hot…”

He climbed up to its chest, dodging tentacles sprouting from cracks in its skin. He remembered Wayne was there—the core of this fusion.

“Wayne, where are you hiding!”

He plunged Guilty into the monster’s chest and unleashed a whirlwind of mana that shredded everything inside, preventing regeneration.

The monster screamed with an inhuman roar.

“Don’t just stand there!”

Jose and Francesco each lunged toward an arm, preventing it from striking Yuri.

“Inariel.”

“Understood.”

A new fire appeared in the sky, smaller but much more intense.

“Clear out!”

Inariel launched a fireball.

It was aimed directly at Yuri’s back.

Feeling the scorching heat rushing in from behind, Yuri glanced over his shoulder and leapt away before it could engulf him.

Jose and Francesco also moved aside.

Inariel’s magic struck squarely into the hole in the monster’s chest that Yuri had opened.

The fireball, upon entering the monster’s interior, released a brilliant flash and exploded instantly.

The explosion roared with a thunder that shook both heaven and earth.

The magic that burst from within the monster’s body charred it completely, and amid the flames a long scream of pain echoed.

The sight was so striking that even the soldiers, focused on their own fights, stopped for a moment to look.

A column of light rose into the sky and then faded.

And from within emerged the monster’s battered form.

Inariel’s magic, which had exploded from the inside, had completely blackened it. Its tentacles, charred and limp, trembled and fell one after another.

“Did we get it?” Yuri muttered.

But, unfortunately, his expectation was not fulfilled.

The monster’s body shuddered and began to regain vitality.

“Huh?”

Like a dry log soaking up water, the monster began regenerating rapidly.

Its body, reduced to ashes, rejoined itself, and the withered tentacles reanimated with strength, restoring flesh.

Even the hole Yuri had opened in its chest closed completely in an instant.

“What the hell…?”

Yuri and his group backed away. The monster was now beginning to grow even larger.

“We just need to keep attacking. It can’t regenerate forever. So—”

At that moment, the ground began to rumble with footsteps rapidly approaching.

Yuri had heard that sound before.

“Donchich?”

It was the ogre Donchich, running toward them.

Though small compared to the monster, he was still far larger than a human. But his eyes were completely red.

He had been corrupted by black magic.

Unable to speak coherent words as before, he let out a savage roar as he charged.

“Uwoooohhh!”

Donchich’s arrival disrupted the balance of Yuri’s group.

“I’ll handle him.”

Francesco stepped forward to block him. Donchich threw a punch, and Francesco caught it with his sword, but the brute force of the blow lifted him into the air.

“Kuh!”

Francesco landed nimbly, like a cat.

While the two fought off to the side, a sword appeared out of nowhere, from the void itself, aimed at Yuri’s neck.

Yuri reflexively raised Guilty to block it.

“You’ve grown.”

“And you are…?”

The one who appeared was Dan Socheon, the “Shadowless Sword.”

“Long time.”

“Yes, good to see you, Heavenly Demon.”

“I see you remember me.”

With Dan Socheon’s arrival, the atmosphere changed completely.

Everyone stared intently at one another.

As befitted a battle that would decide the fate of the continent, six of the Ten Greats were now assembled.

The entire battlefield murmured, and all soldiers watched the six titans gathered in one place.

Beside the monster stood two of the Empire’s Ten Greats.

And in front of them, four of the Ten Greats from the opposing side.

“This will be a spectacle.”

A battle worthy of the name Heaven Above Heaven was about to begin.

***

Cedric paid little attention to what was happening outside Zveta.

His goal was in its final stage.

“It’s almost complete.”

A mage with his face hidden beneath a hood spoke softly. Cedric nodded.

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

“Thank you.”

Cedric smiled at the statue made of orichalcum.

The black magic sorcerer who controlled it had brought it from the Holy Kingdom, greatly facilitating his work.

Before long, the god from another world would descend to this land.

“May I ask you a question?”

“Mm?”

“Why did you summon the Anti-Empire Confederation to Zveta? The Imperial capital no longer had any importance, and you could have simply left it alone…”

“True.”

Cedric let out a laugh.

Even he could not explain that decision logically. It had been a mere momentary whim.

“If I have to give an explanation… maybe…”

Cedric looked deeper into himself.

In the depths of his heart, there was a more personal reason for drawing Yuri to Zveta.

“Maybe I wanted my brother to come stop me.”

“Cedric…”

“Don’t worry. It’s all about to end. Outside, whether those people spill blood, fight to the death, or one of them manages some heroic feat at the end—it will all result in our victory. Our sky lies far above theirs.”

The black magic mage bowed his head.

Cedric looked up.

Beneath the balcony where he stood, countless living humans lay within a great pit.

“Well then, let’s begin the ritual.”