Chapter 352

EPISODE 352 – ARCHBISHOP MANUELA (3)

“Fran! Come here!”

“Okay! Old man! Gah?! Old man! The right!”

“I know!”

When Velkian shouted, the skeletons on the right side exploded at once.

Hundreds to thousands of bone fragments flew towards the front instead of going in all directions, tearing apart the monsters as if a claymore mine had exploded.

“Haa… haa…”

Velkian roughly breathed as he quickly moved his hand and swallowed a mana potion.

The situation was not very good.

Only a few people were blocking thousands – no, tens of thousands of troops, so it meant that they were really doing well, but in this battle where the fate of the world was at stake, what mattered was the result and not the process.

“I’ll take them out first! Everyone, gather!”

Summoning spirits was not enough, so Fran transformed himself into the incarnation of Orion, a god of the forests.

Deer antlers protruded from his head, and his lower body became like that of a giant horse. He then struck the ground with a staff made from the branches of the world tree.

“SHAKE!”

The earth responded to Fran.

The ground shook and swayed, so the rushing monsters fell and trampled each other.

“Hahaha! You dumbasses!”

Fran let out swear words that did not suit his pretty face, and moved his hand again. He sent the spirits forward to buy time and create some space, and urged the rest of the group again.

“Gather! Everyone, gather here!”

“Lucas!”

Kajsa shouted and swung her chain, while Scarlet grabbed Adelaide’s waist and ran towards Fran.

Red Wind had already retreated with Sun Song, establishing a line of defense of some sort.

“Hurry up!”

At the prompting of Red Wind, the Sword God who was carrying Maximilian on his back ran past Kajsa.

And the last person.

The one who blocked the monster waves with his sword.

Lucas responded with action to everyone’s call.

As the sword of the Holy King shone again and a huge aura blade was released, the monsters in front of him disappeared as though they had instantly evaporated.

“Lucas!”

“I’m fine, Kajsa!”

His breathing was bit rough, but his facial complexion was not that bad.

After reassuring Kajsa, he hurriedly retreated, and Fran thought while looking at Lucas.

‘He’s like Landius.’

It was not just because Lucas was a swordsman.

‘Though when I met Landius again, he didn’t look like a swordsman at all.’

Why in the world did he suddenly start punching like that?

Still, that doesn’t matter since he’s strong.

‘Anyway, that’s not what’s important right now.’

Fran stopped his thoughts and watched Lucas again.

As the last druid in the lineage of the world tree, Irmut, he was able to see many things that could not be simply seen with one’s eyes.

Lucas was gifted with the same talent as Kamael.

He was born with the same talent as Kamael, the best swordsman Fran knew, so he was truly a blessed genius.

But Fran could tell.

Kamae’s talent did not make him the best.

There were more talented people in this world than him.

Even that old man named the Sword God was gifted with a talent that surpassed that of Kamael and Lucas.

The guy on Sword God’s back, who had been their enemy earlier, was born with a talent superior to that old man.

But Kamael was stronger than the latter two, and so was Lucas.

‘Is it because of his past lives?’

Having learned the truth of the ‘copy and paste method,’ Fran could now see glimpses of Lucas’ past lives.

That child, who was only in his later teens, was able to become so strong because he inherited the power of his previous lives.

But that did not mean Lucas’ present efforts should be disregarded.

His repeated past lives was not the main reason why he was able to reach the horizon.

‘He has a strong will.’

A mind of steel that did not lose to oneself.

An indomitable will that did not yield to external pressure.

In that sense, he resembled Landius.

Therefore, that child was able to reach the state he was in now.

“Hold your ground! Defend!”

The undead legion responded to Velkian’s command.

Death Knights raised their swords high and boosted their fighting spirits, while skeletons and zombies howled.

Fran came to his senses.

He stabbed his staff into the ground, setting it up as a totem before he sang loudly to bestow blessings and protections to the party.

‘Landius.’

Just as how Lucas believed in Jude and Cordelia, Fran also believed in Landius.

A person who did not give in to any despair.

Everyone’s sun who drove away the darkness.

Fran sang with all his might.

Hope blossomed in the despair that filled his eyes.

***

“Die! Die! Just die!”

Tanesia launched an onslaught, but Lena was not easily defeated.

The magic bullets of light coming from all directions were blocked by her rotating barriers of light.

Tanesia felt nervous.

Her opponent was on the defensive, though it was not easily broken. However, her opponent was getting weaker with each attack of hers.

So if Tanesia prolonged this battle, she would be able to win.

But that was why Tanesia got caught by Lena.

What mattered to Tanesia now was to defend Archbishop Manuela.

“Just die!”

A pillar of light that was around 5 meters in diameter shot down from the huge magic circle that Tanesia had created in the air.

The powerful attack was to keep Lena busy so that she could take advantage of the gap and move towards Manuela.

But it failed.

Strong attacks usually had many gaps.

Lena had already predicted what kind of attack would come the moment she saw a magic circle form in the air, so she easily dodged the pillar with magic. She even succeeded in counterattacking Tanesia, even if it was weak.

“You can’t go anywhere.”

Lena softly spoke and smiled, and Tanesia turned both of her hands into that of a demon’s hands as she ran to Lena.

Since long-range attacks did not work at all, she thought of fighting in close combat.

But that was exactly what Lena had wanted.

“I learned a lot from Landius.”

Close combat.

The mace wielded by Lena struck Tanesia in the face.

Boom! Bang! Bang! Boom!

Explosion sounds resounded in succession.

Explosions occurred every time fire and ice collided.

“I like it! This is fun! How satisfying!”

Asmodeus, the overlord of lust, was also an expert swordswoman.

The seven swords she treasured were all great demons with titles, and most of them were crazily good with the sword.

Forte liked the sword.

He liked swordsmanship.

The moments when he moved towards the horizon were so thrilling for him.

Despite the fact that his allies were being defeated individually, Great Demon Forte was excited, but his opponent, Kamael, did not show any emotion.

Kamael only focused on fighting Forte.

How to stop Forte.

How to defeat Forte.

All that he needed to do was focus.

He did not need anything else.

‘Landius.’

Because Landius is here.

Because our sun is with us here.

Twelve Snowflake Sword Art.

The Seventh Snow Flower.

Snowflake Orchid.

Forte was surrounded by hundreds to thousands of aura blades that were reminiscent of petals.

“AAAAAAAAH!”

Cordelia stretched her hands forward, causing a final explosion.

She literally wiped out everything in front of her by sending all her storms of light forward and making it explode at once.

It was too much for her.

That one attack consumed more than half of the mana she had.

But it was necessary.

Cordelia staggered and shouted.

“Landius-nim!”

“UOOOOOOOO!”

Landius responded.

He flew towards the path opened by Cordelia, and ran towards the heavenly throne where Manuela was sitting.

[There’s magic power everywhere!]

Melissa’s scream was correct.

Cordelia had wiped out hundreds of demons, but an immense amount of magic power was released the moment she crossed a certain space.

And Cordelia finally understood why so many demons appeared.

“Hell Gate!”

In front of the heavenly throne where Manuela sat.

The Hell Gate that had been hidden in a crack of space was finally revealed.

It was a huge gate like the one she saw in Snow Breeze Plain, and the gate was wide open as demons and monsters from Hell came out.

But the low-level demons were not the problem.

It was the move prepared by Manuela.

It roared and released its power.

“Demon Prince!”

As if responding to Cordelia’s words, a huge and terrifying fist came out of the Hell Gate.

It rushed forward with a force that could instantly crush Landius!

Landius saw it too.

The fist was huge.

It appeared to be three meters in diameter.

But Landius did not stop. He strengthened his grip on the Solar Blade, and once again unleashed the power of the sun!

He used his Supreme Sun Divine Art.

He unleased his extreme Yang energy!

Two fists collided.

At the moment of collision, the entire ritual chamber shook, and a huge shockwave swept through the place.

“KYA!”

Cordelia screamed as she was sent flying.

As soon as he killed Yekaterina, Jude ran and caught Cordelia by the waist as if snatching it, and he looked straight ahead.

He witnessed a human fist defeating a Demon Prince’s fist.

“UOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

It was pushed back.

The attack of the Demon Prince failed. The Hell Gate shook, but Landius did not stop. He stared straight and held the Solar Blade near his chest.

“LAN-DI-USSSS-!”

The Demon Prince’s head and shoulders emerged from the Hell Gate.

Its hatred for Landius radiated from its red bull’s head, its yellow eyes, its sulfur-like breath, and its seven black and big horns.

But Landius was not afraid.

He was amidst burning hot fire, but he thought coldly.

He calculated the power of the Demon Prince who had not yet fully exited the Hell Gate. He directed the power of the sun into the Solar Blade.

I will cut it.

I will break it.

I will break the darkness and reveal the light of the glory of the morning!

“Trailblazer Sword!”

Landius roared and swung his sword.

The sword of the sun that slashed Malekith along with his Dragon Breath once again unfolded from Landius’ fingertips.

A gigantic golden blade swept through the Hell Gate.

Boooooooooooom-!

Light filled their vision.

The light of the sun swallowed up all the darkness. It crushed the Hell Gate and stopped the Demon Prince from coming out.

It was an all-powerful strike.

Even the unequaled Landius lost his strength to stand because of his attack.

But Landius did not fall.

Although he could not move forward, he did not collapse. He stood still and looked ahead of him.

He looked at the heavenly throne and shouted.

“Jude!”

The one who would deliver the final blow did not have to be him.

It was enough for him to open the way.

So he had done his best.

He did not spare his strength because Jude was here.

Go.

Go.

Defeat Manuela!

The eighth door of the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors.

Black Lightning Covers the Sky.

Jude became black lightning.

He fiercely shouted as he left Cordelia’s side. He rushed past Landius and advanced towards Manuela.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Wall barriers rose in front of the heavenly throne with a booming sound.

But Jude clenched his fist and did not stop.

He destroyed the first barrier with a single blow of the Supreme Sun Divine Art.

The second barrier was broken with Valencia’s sword.

He released the energy of the black dragon towards the third barrier.

Boooooooooooom!

All three barriers collapsed.

He ran amidst the falling debris and used Black Lightning Covers the Sky again as he rushed towards Manuela.

Bababababang!

It was the last resistance. Blades of Judgment rained down from the heavenly throne.

Jude saw it and drew his arm. He created a huge black sword from his energy and gripped it.

And he used Wind and Lightning Flurry Strikes.

The sword of wind and lightning pushed away all the Blades of Judgment.

There was nothing left to protect Archbishop Manuela anymore.

“At last.”

Landius said.

Lena gazed at the heavenly throne.

Kamael felt his emotions explode deep inside his heart.

The Paragon Kingdom.

A place that was small but beautiful.

“Go.”

Go, Jude.

Deliver the final blow.

End the demon that destroyed the Paragon Kingdom.

“Jude.”

Cordelia touched her chest.

She was in tears without realizing it.

We will stop the Great Summons.

This time, we shall have a perfect happy ending.

“UOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Jude roared.

The last strike of Wind and Lightning Flurry Strikes pierced into Manuela’s heart.

This would be the last.

This would the end of a long, long journey.

Manuela’s body crumbled as it could not withstand the power of the Wind and Lightning Flurry Strikes.

Landius, who had been chasing Manuela for nearly ten years, remembered the Paragon Kingdom.

Lena burst into tears, and even Kamael cried.

But it was at that moment.

Tanesia smiled.

Forte madly laughed.

Cordelia unconsciously raised her head and opened her eyes.

She felt that something was wrong.

And it was Jude who recognized that fact most clearly.

‘He was already dead.’

Jude felt it the moment he stabbed the sword.

It was a corpse that sat on the heavenly throne.

Manuela was already dead.

What had happened?

What was going on?

[As expected, you all are amazing.]

A voice was heard from Manuela’s corpse that was crumbling into pieces.

The voice clearly belonged to Manuela.

[This is just my residual thoughts. I already died yesterday. For the final plan.]

T/N: Residual thought is a unique Japanese concept. As its name suggests, it is the thoughts that remain in a person after they die. However, it is different from the concept of ghosts or spirits. And despite being a ‘thought’, they can still talk to people.

The ritual continued.

As if Manuela’s death was a signal, the blood-red pillar of light that came from the sky began to radiate a stronger power.

[You’re all strong. Persistent. You always create miracles.]

He was not only talking about the five heroes of Paragon.

There was the man who never gave up and fought to the very end in a life that had been repeated many times.

Jude Bayer, the sword of the young goddess, Atalia.

[So I assumed that I would be killed in the end. I thought that you would attack the capital through any means or methods, and then invade this place and kill me… I came up with a plan under that premise.]

And it actually happened.

Even if Manuela himself had been here, nothing much would have changed.

[I gave up the thought of fighting you all. I decided to use my life for something more important. Of course, it wasn’t something I really liked though.]

Lena and Kamael were confused.

But Jude could roughly guess it.

Manuela’s plan.

The things he had prepared.

[Why do you think it was today?]

The day when the calamities were released into the world.

Why was it today?

Was it not the norm to release it on the day of the descent?

[Your calculations are not wrong. If you only look at the pillar of light, it is correct that it will take around 20 days to summon the archangel. But if you add one more catalyst, the situation changes.]

One who had received the power of all the overlords of Hell.

One who was like the incarnation of all of them.

Archbishop Manuela sacrificed his own life.

He offered his body and soul in order to summon the archangel.

[I would never have guessed that I would offer my life to summon an angel. I guess this is why life is fun.]

On the day the calamities were released into the world, Archbishop Manuela offered his life as a sacrifice for the ritual.

Although he left a residual thought to direct the situation, it was literally just a residual thought.

[The time shortened by my life was around 5 days. It was close, but it seemed to have somehow worked out. Don’t blame yourself too much. Even if you did something while listening to my words, it would already be impossible. I’m not a fool who would kindly talk about what I would do next. The Heaven Gate was already open at the time you entered this room. It just took her a long time to pass through the gate.]

Manuela’s residual thought laughed.

It vanished after saying his last words.

[Farewell, heroes of Paragon.]

This time…

No, as what had happened several times, you will once again fall before fate.

Jude raised his head.

He looked up the sky.

He could not see it because of the ceiling, but he could feel it.

“Auriel.”

The pillar of red light cracked as though it responded to Cordelia’s quiet call.

Fran could see it.

Velkian heavily breathed and Scarlet clenched her teeth. Kajsa trembled in fear.

Red Wind could not stop her hands from shaking.

Lucas looked up the sky with his sword pointed down.

The archangel of judgment in pure white armor spread her twelve wings.

She slowly opened her eyes.

She looked down at the ground with a cold gaze.