Chapter 283

Chapter 283 – Marching Forward (1)

“Brother, are you okay?”

A young Abel asked, his voice filled with concern. The cold night wind brushed against his cheeks. Cain had suddenly run out, leaving Abel behind, and now he sat blankly at the village entrance.

“…”

Cain didn’t answer. His pale cheeks were stained with tears. He had just realized that his powers couldn’t bring someone back to life.

Though his transformed body no longer felt the cold, the storm inside his broken heart was as bitter as a freezing northern wind. Abel cautiously approached and pointed to the corner of Cain’s mouth.

“Brother, there’s something on your lips.”

“Huh…?”

Instinctively, Cain wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Bluish stains smudged across the fabric—it was the blood of the giant he had drunk until his belly was nearly full.

When he turned his head, he finally noticed Abel’s face. The small boy was trembling, draped in an oversized coat that didn’t fit him. Cain suddenly realized: this child was all he had left.

“…Yes. I’m okay.”

“What are we going to do now? There was a loud bang, and then Mom and Dad disappeared.”

“Don’t worry. I’m here.”

Cain, having wiped his mouth clean, stood up. Just as this child believed him to be Abel, Cain decided to believe it as well. This boy was his twin brother. Cain smiled and took Abel’s hand.

“Let’s go together, Abel.”

.

.

.

“Ugh…”

Abel opened his eyes. It seemed he had dozed off for a moment. The familiar surroundings came into view—an overly large and extravagant chair, furniture painted entirely in white. It was the sanctuary of the cult leader at the top of the main headquarters.

“Damn it.”

Abel muttered, rubbing his eyes with his finger. It had been a long time since he had dreamed, and what came to mind was something that had happened thousands of years ago.

Clicking his tongue, Abel looked at the liquid on his finger. Despite the thoughts rising from deep within, he refocused by wiping his hand on his pant leg.

“My brother was wrong.”

Abel murmured to himself. The end was near, and soon it would be clear whose thoughts were correct.

He brushed his hair back and was about to start walking when there was a knock on the door.

“Master, may I come in?”

“Yes.”

The voice was familiar. As Abel gestured, the door opened, and a woman wearing an ornate robe entered. It was Retancier, the archbishop responsible for protecting and monitoring Iril.

“I’m here to report the current situation. Iril’s awakening is proceeding smoothly.”

“You’ve worked hard. There are no health issues, are there?”

“None at all. She’s sleeping soundly, so there’s no need to worry. And just as you said, your blood is facilitating the awakening process much faster than expected.”

“Good, that’s how it should be.”

Abel nodded, as he had anticipated. He was in the process of removing the curse that bound Iril’s powers to help her fully awaken her ability.

Once the shackles that Cain had placed were broken, Iril would gain complete control over the power to fulfill desires.

‘A fitting effect for the source of everything.’

Abel smiled slightly. The key to breaking Iril’s curse, which had resisted all other methods, was indeed his blood. The idea had come from his past experiences.

In the past, Abel had drawn Cain’s blood and transfused it into himself. It was during the time when Cain had used his power to save Dainhar and had fallen into a deep sleep. From then on, Abel had been able to wield the powers of the giants.

It wasn’t of much importance now, but Abel regretted that he never uncovered Cain’s secrets to the end. There was surely some connection with the giants of the stars. After hearing the report, Abel patted Retancier on the shoulder.

“Good work. I need to step out for a while. You can handle things from here, right?”

“Yes, I won’t disappoint you.”

“Good.”

Abel left the room, leaving Retancier standing alone in the empty sanctuary. She waited until she could no longer hear his footsteps before letting out a deep sigh.

“Whew…”

Even given the situation, this was too much. Not even when she first joined as a layperson was she this busy.

“Where is he going this time…?”

She muttered to herself. Abel had been away for long periods recently, and she was worried it might happen again.

It wasn’t that she feared for his safety or potential defeat. Given that Abel had taken direct action, such an outcome was impossible. Moreover, they had secured Iril as a hostage.

Still, Abel’s attitude, which seemed disconnected from the followers eagerly awaiting the arrival of the stars, concerned her. It didn’t seem like he was someone approaching the final chapter. It felt like he was looking at something else entirely.

Of course, all she could do was follow orders, so Retancier quietly focused her mind and prepared to send a telepathic message. Soon, her voice echoed in the minds of all the followers.

[Archbishop Retancier speaking. Prepare to welcome our guest.]

****

“Capture them! Don’t let them escape!”

“If we fail to stop them here, everything will be in vain!”

The cries of the soldiers echoed under the afternoon sky. The long and grueling battle was nearing its end. A coalition force of over ten thousand soldiers was moving in perfect unison, their weapons at the ready.

The magic circle that had covered the sky finally vanished after spitting out a giant. Much like Duaaru had done in the dragon city, the giant immediately began a spree of indiscriminate destruction.

“Basagia executes judgment.”

The once relatively peaceful camp of the central coalition was reduced to ruins in an instant. Explosions erupted as spears of light rained down, creating massive craters in the ground. With each deafening blast, dozens, if not hundreds, of soldiers lost their lives.

“Damn these monstrous beasts!”

“We have to deal with all these abominations ourselves!”

The summoned familiars, using feathers as catalysts, also contributed to the rising number of casualties. The artificial beasts, devoid of fear, trampled over each other as they charged at the coalition forces.

“Graaaah!”

“Screeeech!”

Unlike Duaaru’s familiars, these took the form of beasts resembling wild dogs. Their bodies, made of light, clashed with the soldiers’ weapons, filling the battlefield with the sounds of explosive impacts.

But when asked if the situation was as hopeless as it had been in the dragon city, the answer was no. The number of familiars, once overwhelming, had noticeably decreased. The giant Basagia, too, was struggling, surrounded and unable to break free.

“Hup!”

Lowering her body, Navirose dodged the giant’s spear and swung her sword. Swish! The sword flashed, and the spear made of light snapped in half. The giant’s eyebrow twitched.

『…!』

Her sword, imbued with Ronan’s blood, glowed a seething red. Having momentarily incapacitated the giant, Navirose withdrew, shouting loudly.

“Fire at will!”

In response, arrows and magical projectiles rained down from all directions. The giant tried to assume a defensive stance but was restrained by an unseen force.

Crash! A sudden pressure bore down on his shoulder, freezing him in place. The giant surveyed the battlefield and spoke in a monotone.

『Is it you?』

“Eek!”

Asel, who had locked eyes with the giant, gasped in terror. He hadn’t expected to be noticed from such a distance. It was his telekinesis magic that was pinning the giant down.

『Impressive. This is the power of a mere mortal.』

The giant murmured, clearly impressed. Even exerting force, it was difficult to straighten his back.

Deciding that he needed to eliminate the mage first, the giant silently opened his palm. Particles of light began to gather, forming a new spear, but before he could complete it, arrows and magic struck him simultaneously.

Wooosh… As the wind dispersed the explosion, the giant’s now heavily battered form was revealed. Blue blood dripped from his wounds onto the ground. Staggering, he spoke in a weakened voice.

『Futile…creatures…』

There was little strength left in his voice. It wasn’t just the most recent assault—it was the cumulative damage he had sustained since the battle began.

His four wings were torn to shreds, and his entire body was riddled with more than a dozen different types of injuries. The once flawless body now resembled a tattered sack of potatoes.

This was the result of the coalition forces, armed with Ronan’s blood, fighting with every ounce of their strength. They had managed to nullify the blessing of the stars and inflict significant damage on the giant.

It was a vast improvement compared to their previous inability to even scratch the archbishops’ defenses. The giant spread his wings, looking around.

He wasn’t sure how things had come to this, but the situation was dire. Boom! As his wings unfurled, a powerful gust swept across the battlefield.

“Ugh…!”

“He’s trying to escape!”

The front-line soldiers were thrown back as if struck by an invisible force. The few remaining trees and tents were blown away.

“Aah!”

The sudden surge of power broke Asel’s telekinesis. If things continued like this, they’d lose him. Normally, despair would have been the natural response, but the coalition’s members didn’t seem as grim as one might expect.

“Please…”

“We’re counting on you, mages.”

Instead, they clenched their fists, as if hoping for something

. Whoosh! Just as the giant was about to take off, Adeshan’s voice echoed in the minds of all the coalition members.

[Now!]

At the same time, a powerful wave of mana spread across the battlefield. Crack! The giant, who was ascending, suddenly slammed into an invisible barrier in the sky.

『Ugh…!』

Blue blood splattered from the gash on his forehead. The impact had been significant. The soldiers watching the scene cheered.

“Yes, we stopped him!”

『This is…』

The giant narrowed his eyes. A translucent force field encased him like a cage. The spot where his head had hit was now webbed with cracks.

It was a high-level defensive spell cast remotely by the mages of the Dawn and Full Moon Towers. After drinking Ronan’s blood, the mages could manifest spells that affected the giant for a limited time.

『Futile…』

However, the giant soon regained his composure. He was about to throw his spear at the force field when something large and black shot up to his head. Instinctively, the giant looked up and spoke.

『You are…?』

A shadow loomed over the giant’s face. He quickly redirected his spear, but Zaiyfa was already descending with his guandao raised high. The newly sharpened blade, prepared for the final battle, glowed the same red as Navirose’s sword.

“Die here, worm.”

Zaiyfa growled. The giant opened his mouth to say something, but Shing! The guandao sliced through the air, cleaving into the giant’s face.

Zaiyfa felt the sensation of cutting through flesh travel up his arm. Boom!! Almost simultaneously, Zaiyfa and the giant crashed into the middle of the battlefield.

“…Damn, that was tough.”

Zaiyfa looked down at the giant. With the guandao buried in his face, the giant no longer moved.

Dust enveloped the area, so the soldiers hadn’t begun cheering yet. Twirling the spear in his hand, Zaiyfa muttered irritably.

“When the hell is Ronan getting here?”