Commencing Second Cour of Chronicles of the Wayward Tome Hero.

(Still) Waiting for Season 2...

Finger Count: 5/10

Eye Count: 2/2

Arm Count: 1/2

Leg Count: 2(?)/2

Sanity Meter: 25%

Death Counter: 36

Let's burn it all to the ground.


Epic 27: The Outbreak Part Finale


Switching POV: Nan

"... Keheheheheh, I love the smell burning bodies in the evening."

The flash of light dies down as the smoke begins to settle.

Around me, once there were charging adventurers and sellswords that only listens to the chinks of gold, their sole reason for not only upholding this rotten institution, but also the reason why they charged at me, the future Demon King that'll discipline this unruly world in the first place.

... Whores. All of them. Had they listened to other than the sounds of gold coins landing in their pockets, they might've lived.

A little too late for that, unfortunately, but hey, they had no one else to blame, but themselves.

"Well that was surprisingly boring." I remarked to myself as I drank my last [High-Grade Intermediate Mana Potion] that I bartered from Naofumi. "... Well? What are you lot waiting for!? Free food!" I pointed towards the audience running out of their seats.

My [Berserk Corps] then begin to feast at the fleeing spectators.

The Owl-[Kenku] plucks off a man's eyeballs, the [Flyman] devours and slurps up a woman's entrails like spaghetti, the [Werelions] tear the flesh off of children's bones, the [Lizardmen] chew up the elderly piecemeal, the [Minotaurs] bulldoze and gore through the fleeing crowds with their horns, making a macabre kebab out of their bodies, the [Naga] skewers several people at once with its [Trident] before eating them like a drumstick, the [Bicorns] stampede and trample upon the fleeing crowd into paste, the [Werebears] swipe and rake their way through the crowd with their claws, spraying fountains of blood everywhere, the [Trolls] grab and thrash around the people caught in their grip like a child would abuse its toy like a well-worn ragdoll, and the [Golem]...

... Just simply brought a massive urn of fresh water towards the [Kelpie], drenching it wet, reinvigorating its powers back to an acceptable performance, which the [Kelpie] then trots towards me before lowering its back before me.

"... You want me to ride you?" I asked the seaweed-colored kelp-horse, which then responds with a neigh.

I mount the beautiful beast and the [Golem] acts as my aide.

"Alright... this is like riding a jetski, but no risk of drowning, for now at least-"

The [Kelpie] then breaks into a mad dash, barreling through the slaughtered crowds like a lawn mower to a lawn.

"HOLY SHIIIT!" I screeched out. "BAD MEMORIES, BAD MEMORIES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHHHHHHY-AYAHAHAHA!?"

... Context, I once rode on a jetski back when I was still in my middle school-age.

I fell off, and my nose took in lots of water and just leave at that.

Regardless, there was some elation found in the act of me and my army of badass DnD creatures mowing through the capitalist pigs like a slaughterhouse on a good day. Who knew murder can be so... therapeutic?

... I might be going insane. But hey, tell that to me when there's an actual therapist in this godforsaken world, or at least a better alternative to an insanity plea.

"Ugh, I'm ruining this for myself." I remarked right before a stone was thrown at my face, hitting me in my left eye/my only good eye.

But before the brat can get away, the [Naga] catches him by the [Trident], slowly corralling the kid towards my direction, until he's surrounded by the entirety of the [Berserk Corps].

"Hold." I ordered.

I dismount from the [Kelpie] and slowly approached the trembling kid in noble-like clothes.

"Sup kid." I greeted the rich kid. "... You know that your little stunt almost cost me my only good eye left, right?"

The kid tries to speak out through his stuttering.

"Y-Yo-You-You killed... mother, and... father..." He trembled out. "Give them back... GIVE THEM BACK, DAMMIT!"

The brat then stabs me in the foot with a jewel-encrusted shiv.

... My, right, dummy foot.

"... Ahahaha... No."

With my other, good leg, I deliver a swift kick across his cheek, knocking out nearly all of his molars from his gums.

"... You... YOU HIT ME!" He cried out. "YOU DARE HIT ME!? I'LL TELL FATHER OF THIS TRANSGRESSION!"

"Yeah, you're welcome to try when he's currently being melted down inside one of my friend's guts..." I snidely remarked. "... God, I hate kids. Especially rich kids like this little punk."

I then pick the brat up by his cream-blonde hair, tugging him upwards as he struggled for his life.

"You know what I hate about kids?" I asked the spoiled brat. "They're ignorant, they're stupid, they're impressionable, and to top it all off, they're so pure that it makes me want to vomit. Now, I can vouch on the fact that they don't better, and you know what? I can understand that. But what I cannot stand is when you brats refuse to learn. You think that you have all the time in the world, that the whole world is yours, and that your hopes and dreams are actually going to come true when you beg enough. WELL GUESS WHAT!? IT AIN'T LIKE THAT! YOU THINK JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE SQUIRTED OUT OF SOME NOUVEAU RICHE'S WHORE MEANS THAT YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!? WELL GUESS WHAT!? FUCK THAT!"

I unfold the switchblade in my [Bandit's Silver Thumb].

"... When it comes to teaching pretentious kids like you, a lesson in pain is required." I stated. "So allow me to enforce a... Chinese method."

I then flay off a piece of his skin from his thigh, causing him to belch out a shrill scream of agony.

"Death by a thousand cuts." I gleefully remarked as I licked the blood off of my blade. "The longest recorded execution took up to 3,357 cuts over the course of three whole days before the poor sap died. Wanna see how long you last?"

"... Please stop... it hurts." The kid begged tearfully.

"Oh suck it up." I dispassionately remarked. "It'll hurt less as time goes on."

I then proceed to flay the brat.

"That's two."

I then flay off another.

"That's three."

The thrashing becomes more sporadic, but thankfully, I was holding him up by [Sibylline], my left prosthetic arm, so my grip around his hair remained firm.

"Four." I stated as I flayed off the skin of his open chest.

I simply kept going, taking out my resentments against rich people, kids, and kids from rich people onto this brat.

I know what I'm doing is the textbook definition of "Moral Event Horizon", but then again, twofold.

One, the whole world pretty much sees as the real Demon King compared to Naofumi, creating a disparity of information and belief, which will help me utilize a divide and conquer tactic in my campaign against this world. But if they actually wisen up to my plans and makes me their priority, oh well, more EXP for me and my party.

Two, by the time I'm completely through with this shitstain of a world, all of the notions of "good" and "evil", both macro and micro, will be rendered obsolete.

True freedom means abandoning everything. Society, morals (good and evil), laws, and beliefs, all must be purged to purify this rotten world.

A world without gods nor kings, where all beings run free and be themselves, so that they may sate their long-neglected hearts.

A world without order nor chaos, where no one will be bound by any boundaries, the right to love and hate whoever you please.

A world without meaning nor dreams, where all shall live for the sake of living, so they can grow and prosper naturally.

A world without laws or philosophy, where everyone can finally be honest with themselves, no longer being told what's right or wrong anymore.

A world without a past nor future, where everyone can live for the moment, so that they can be satisfied with the lives that they're given.

That is the world I seek.

A world called "Nihilism", the true liberation of all sentience.

"... And a hundred."

I drop the kid reminiscent of a cross between well-used cutting board and a freshly-butchered cattle onto the floor.

"Congrats, kiddo." I stated as I drew out my [Sacrificial Dagger]. "Guess you finally learned something, eh?"

One [Invoke] from the still-breathing boy (somehow), and got myself a free [Cu Sith].

"Alright, we move." I ordered the [Berserk Corps] as I got back on my [Kelpie], now with the fae-dog at my side. "Don't let anyone leave this city alive, you hear!?"

The entire [Berserk Corps] roar out affirmatively.

"Alright then." I ordered. "MOVE OUT!"

Switching POV: Glass

"EVERYONE, KEEP MOVING!" Glass cried out as she mowed down another squadron of city guards and mercenaries.

She spots Rino disposing some guards of her own with her [Steel Throwing Knives], Genbu jumps onto a guard's face before he slashes his throat open with his [Silver Short Sword], the escaped slaves were fighting the mercenaries a murderous zeal, taking the whole "kill all who stands in our way" credo to its extreme, with some painting their faces with the blood of their slain captors.

And oh god, their war cries.

"KILL THEM ALL!"

"SPARE NO ONE! NOT EVEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN WILL LIVE!"

"PUNISH ALL WHO EVEN THINK OF PUTTING US BACK IN CHAINS!"

"KILL THEM! KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!"

... Were the state of slavery so horrid that the moment they're given the opportunity to strike back, they'd do it with the rage akin to that of an entire Legion from Hell?

Just who's even on the right side of this conflict anymore? Just what is "good" or "evil" in this world.

"Is this what Nan really wants out of this?" Glass thought. "In order to fight a mad goddess, he'll do it with the intent of a mad god?"

She then hears a girl's scream, turning to find a well-dressed man holding a girl with mole-like features hostage at knifepoint.

"DON'T MOVE!" He cried out as he brought the knife closer. "ANY CLOSER, AND YOU CAN KISS THIS LITTLE BITCH GOODBYE-"

His threat was then cut off with several arrows pinning onto his face like a bloody pincushion, letting go of the girl post mortem.

"Are you okay?" Glass asked the mole-girl.

The mole-girl silently nods.

"Stay close to me, you hear?" Glass stated.

The girl nods again.

"Alright then..." Glass remarked as she unfurled her [Sacred Fans]. "RINO! COVER ME!"

The [Assassin] nods as Glass then begins to wave and arc her fan's swings and sways, transitioning into a dancelike motion.

"[Four Seasons Aria: Reverse Winter Stance-Hailstorm]!"

The swings of her fans generate blades of ice and hardened sleet that were thrown to the opposition, cutting through their armor and bone like if they were wearing paper.

"PRESS FORWARD! HURRY!" Glass roared out as she led the group through the streets, slashing through more city guards and mercenaries in their path.

As they continue to press forward, more guards and sellswords were cut down like wheat during harvest season, marching closer towards their freedom.

"We're almost there!" Rino cried out. "We're almost by the exit-"

"GETOUTOFTHEWAY!"

In front of them, Garou and Fubuki were running for their lives from a short, fully-armored knight with clawed mitts chasing after them.

From the mere presence alone, Glass knew, that knight were after the twins?

... He's bad news.

"EVERYONE, GET BEHIND ME!" Glass shouted out. "RINO! GENBU! WATCH THE REAR!"

Of course she knew that their escape felt too easy. If the slaves were going to have to earn their freedom, they're going to have to kill for it.

Such is the distorted laws of this crazy-ass world.

Switching POV: Seiryu

"AND ANOTHER ONE FOR HOME!" She cried out as she batted away the last sellsword with her [Rune Slayer] into a bloody mess.

For Seiryu, it was a blast, all things considered.

Killing scumbags only in it for the gold, killing racist and politically-incorrect people, all the while, gaining stronger in the process?

Hell yeah! This is life for a [Blue Tyrera Queen] like her! [Dragons] live for battle, and her leader provides with plenty.

And even better, she gets to do it with the people she loves, allowing them to bond over the bones they've all broken.

And before anyone tell her that it's not normal to bond over the people they've killed, all she has to say to them, is a simple "Screw you".

"AND FUCK OFF!" She roared out as she batted another's head off of his shoulders before it splattered against the tree trunk behind him.

"Big Sis!"

From the bushes, her [Red Filolial King] younger brother came out, dragging a severed head from the end of his [Heat Dart].

"Sup kiddo." Seiryu greeted as she ruffled his blood-red hair. "How's it on your end?"

"Just awesome, I just like, killed ten guys with my rope dart in one throw." Suzaku remarked right before he tossed this severed head towards a charging [Reaver] behind Seiryu, knocking him out with a bop to his nose. "I accidentally ripped one of their heads off when I tried to yank out my [Heat Dart], but otherwise, I think I'm getting a little faster at this whole 'killing' thing."

"You don't say?" Seiryu remarked as she finished off the downed [Reaver] with the tip of her [Rune Slayer] crushing his head like a mortar to pestle. "For me, I think my scales are starting to become more ironlike, probably from all the muscle training I did for the past few weeks."

"I think we're just getting stronger for every enemy we kill." Suzaku pointed out as he pulled his improv-ball and chain-flail. "So let's keep at it Sis!"

"Nice thinking Baby Bro!" Seiryu grinned manically as her [Rune Slayer] unfolds itself into massive blade of translucent blue light. "LET'S WASTE THESE MONEY-GRUBBING CREEPS!"

"RIGHT BEHIND YOU, SIS!" Suzaku replied as his [Heat Dart]'s arrowhead glowed at a more intense color of bright orange-red.

Switching POV: Fubuki

... Okay, for the life of her, this whole ordeal was honestly a bit of a mixed bag so far.

Tried to steal a flying boat, crash landed into a middle of a city, and now she and Garou were being pursued by a short, fully-armored knight with oversized mitts for his weapons.

... At least a part of the city was burning, so at least they made a decent distraction.

"WAIT, I SEE GLASS AHEAD!" Garou cried out. "WE NEED TO REGROUP! COME ON!"

Both the twins accelerate into a mad sprint.

"GLASS! GLASS!" Both cried out.

"YOU TWO, GET TO THE REAR!" Glass barked out.

The twins leap towards the grouping, sliding against the floor as their last spurt of escape.

"You okay!?" Garou asked his fox-twin.

Fubuki nods.

"HEY YOU!" One of the haphazardly-armed man barked out. "YOU ON OUR SIDE!?"

"Well, we just burned down a villa, so yeah, maybe?" Fubuki replied.

"In that case, cover us!" He shouted out right before he went back to the scramble happening at the rear.

Both twins look at each other for a moment.

"... You know, I think this whole evening is just weird." Garou pointed out. "Then again, we've been through weirder."

Fubuki nods.

"C'mon." Garou remarked. "Support me from the rear."

Fubuki slaps herself awake as her [Mana Medallion] slowly recharged her mana for the battle ahead.

"... Alright, the worst is over, we need to push forward a bit more." She told herself.

Switching POV: Glass

Now, there were only three things.

One, the coalition of freed slaves and her party members fending off the remaining city guards and mercenaries in murderous zeal.

Two, the unknown armored knight with massive steel-clawed mitts.

And three, the only thing standing between the unknown knight and her responsibility, herself.

"Just who are you?" Glass asked the knight. "... You're no ordinary sellsword, aren't you?"

The knight wordlessly brandishes its claws, raking against the ground, creating sparks from the friction as it slowly approached her.

"Fair enough." Glass remarked as she began to float off the ground. "Let's fight."

The knight then charges towards her, clawed mitts out and foremost.

"[First Stance Solo: Armor Flayer]!"

Several crescent blades of magic fly towards the knight.

The knight however, simply parries the magic blades away as it continues charging towards her.

"Shit! Then how about this!?" Glass remarked as she continued her dance. "[Winter Stance Aria: Icy Road]!"

She swings both of her fans down, creating a chilly wind that turned the whole ground in front of her into a massive ice rink.

However, before the frozen earth can touch its feet, the knight jumps into the air...

... And with its clawed mitts, it digs through the [Icy Road] and burrows underground.

"WHAT!?" Glass remarked as she looked around to see where it'll pop out. "... Son of a bitch, now I get why he had those mitts."

The patch of earth next to her begins to slightly bulge upwards.

Before it can erupt, Glass jumps away from it, evading the clawed knight's dig attack.

"You're a [Moleman], aren't you?" Glass stated towards the knight.

The clawed knight simply turns its head towards her, before speaking to her.

"... For a damned foreigner, you're quite mouthy." The armored [Moleman] remarked. "But enough talk. I got a quota to meet and a bounty to collect."

The [Moleman] then burrows beneath the earth once more.

"Oh no you don't!" Glass declared as she opened her [Sacred Fans]. "You're not duping me twice in a row! [Mountain Stance Solo: Tremor Ritual]!"

Her fans point upward, causing the whole area around her to begin quaking.

"HEY, WATCH IT!" Rino shouted out. "I CAN'T GET A CLEAR SHOT AT THEM WITH THE SHAKING!"

Both the [Blood-Oath Zealots] and the city guards, however, still resumed fighting, with some pockets taking advantage of the tremors to gain an upper hand on their opposition.

The already-hectic scramble against time becomes a full-blown riot, with both sides now slaughtering their own to reach the enemy, packing each other like crabs in cages, clawing and pinching at each other, without regard on whoever lives or dies, as long as someone dies.

"KILL THE SLAVERS! LET THEM HANG FROM THEIR OWN CHAINS!"

"WASTE THESE CRETINS! SHOW THEM WHAT FOR, BOYS!"

"KILL THEM! KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!"

The fighting at the rear began to intensify, with everyone behind her and the [Moleman] going borderline feral in their desperate struggle for each side's collective survival.

Amidst the chaos, however, a young mole-faced girl slips out of the conflict, tumbling onto her flat.

"You alright!?" Glass approached the girl. "... Although the whole scuffle can be anything but safe, especially for you-"

"... Imia?"

The mole-faced girl turns her head towards the armored [Moleman].

"... Imia, is that you?" The armored [Moleman] asked the little girl. "After five years of searching, is that really you?"

"... Wait, you two know each other?" Glass asked the knight.

The knight takes off its helmet, to reveal a thick-bearded man with a mole-like nose underneath.

"... Daddy?" Imia tearfully replied.

Glass, taking the hint, lets the girl go towards her father.

"DADDY!" Imia bawled out.

"It's all right, baby cakes..." The [Moleman] reassured his daughter. "Daddy won't let you go, because daddy swears-"

"WATCH YOUR SIX!"

Glass throws one of her fans above the [Moleman]'s head, intercepting an arrow aimed towards him.

"Crap, there's more!?" Glass remarked as she retrieved her fan.

However, they weren't city guards.

Unlike the uniformed military of Zeltoble, these particular armed group were dressed in similar outfits of Melromarc's soldiers, but instead of blue, they were wearing white and red, all of them carrying [Blessed Spears] or [Blessed Bows] in their gloved hands.

"We've been expecting you, minions of the Demon King." The leader of the detachment stated coolly. "In the name of the [Three Heroes Church], strike these heretics down-"

"LOOK OUT BELOW!"

A massive block of ice crushes the leader into a bloody paste, above it being the twins, Garou and Fubuki.

"Okay, remind me to not suggest using [Hail Hammer] in tandem with your [Shadow Dive] while we're in an enclosed space." Fubuki remarked. "In my defense, I didn't know that shadows had a size limit."

"On the plus side, looks like we got more walking EXP." Garou grinned. "Hey Glass! Wanna kick some ass together!?"

"HOW ABOUT YOU DEMIHUMAN FILITH JUST DIE-"

The man's toxic remark was then cut off by one of the [Moleman]'s claws impaling through his gaping mouth and out the back of his head.

"How about you turds instead take back what you just said about my baby girl?" The [Moleman] replied furiously. "It's always you Melromarcians... You just can't stop picking on us demihumans, eh?"

He pulls out his claw from the man's mouth before he flicked the blood off of his metal nail.

"YOU THERE!" He barked out towards Glass. "KEEP MY BABY CAKE SAFE! THESE BASTARDS ARE AFTER THE DEMIHUMANS!"

"KILL HIM-"

The command was cut off from Garou's [Katars] burying into the fanatic's eyes.

"Hey old man." Garou asked the [Moleman] right before he jumped off the dead [Church Soldier]. "I dunno who you are, nor where I know which hole these fuckers crawled out of, but one thing's for sure, those guys in white and red? You want em dead, right?"

"What do you say?" Fubuki remarked as she jumped off the ice block before reading loading her gunstaff with her [Ice] magic. "Fellow demihuman to demihuman, let's kill some racist dirtbags."

"Heh, like the way you kids think." The [Moleman] remarked. "Very well, allow me to show you how the famed Black Knight of Siltvelt, Spitznagel Swartzritter fights!"

"KILL THEM!" The church-maniacs roared out as they charged.

"I'll intercept the arrows!" Glass barked out as she unfurled her [Sacred Fans]. "You guys rip each of them a new asshole! Little girl, don't move from where you stand! It's dangerous to go into the fray!"

The four then then take the other flank, resuming this two-front assault in order to protect one, [Moleman] girl.

... She was starting to slowly understand why Nan did what he did now.

"Being a [Hero] was never about saving the world or saving the people in it." She thought as she blew the rain of arrows with her [Sacred Fans] midair. "It was never about revenge, love, or even duty. Rather it was for the sole sake of saving at least one innocent life, even at the cost of the majority."

"KEEP FIRING! KEEP FIRING!" The church-maniac kept barking out his orders. "SHOOT THAT GHOST BITCH DOWN WITH [HOLY ARROWS]!"

"I understand." She thought as she rebounded a flurry of [Holy Arrow] with her own [Daybreak Stance Aria: Glimmer Tamer]. "Nan, I sort of understand why you go about as you do, on why you seem to despise the concept of [Heroes] to its very core, and on why you attract a bunch of crazies in the first place, or that you're such a bad influence. You don't believe in the idea of saving the worlds and the people in it. You instead wish to change all of it, so that it doesn't have to be saved in the future. You don't wish to save them. You instead want to them remind them that they can be strong by themselves. Strong without [Heroes]. Strong even without the so-called Gods."

The epiphany blossomed in her mind, heart, and soul. With every passing moment spent, every ounce of effort poured out of her very being, all just to protect one girl.

A normal person would call her a fool fo undertaking such foolhardy and uphill approach. Some may call her a monster for forsaking the majority for the sake of the minority.

But what do they know of loss? What do they know of what it's like to live in a world on a brink of ruin, with each passing day a duty to yield out as much effort to preserve the lives of her friends and loved ones?

... If the world needs to burn, then so they shall. If they deserve to die from their own ignorance towards her friends's suffering, then so they shall.

Only Nan and his family had the modicum of trust within her, because even if they're doomed to repeat the cycle of subservience to some deluded god, then the only way is to go forward...

... AND CRUSH WHATEVER IS IN THEIR WAY!

"BURN IN HELL, YOU BASTARDS!"

[Wrath Fan 3] Activated

Her whole astral body begins to heat up like the furnace, as flames begin to flicker and arc all around her, her mind being overwhelmed with the thoughts of outright murder.

"YOUR INJUSTICE AND PREJUDICE ENDS HERE!" Glass roared out with all her collected fury. "[Climax Torture Stance Symphony: Broken Wheel Waltz]!"

Wheels of black iron, forged from the depths of hell, wreathed in flames, rolled out towards the unsuspecting madmen, right before they were run over, flesh seared, bones crunched to fine powder underneath the heavy axels.

"REPENT, YOU SINNERS!" Glass howled out with the utmost of vengeance. "REPENT FOR EVERY VILE THOUGHT AND SERMONS THAT YOU AND YOUR LOT OF MAGGOTS HAVE SPEWED OUT FOR GENERATIONS! YOU DARE CALL US DEMONS!? THEN YOU'RE ALL DEMON SHIT!"

"... D... DIE-"

The flaming wheel runs the maniac down, grinding his entire skeleton into fine powder before running over several more.

Behind the slaughtered group of racist maniacs, more come sprawling out of the alleyways towards where their comrades once stood.

"D-DON'T FALTER!" The leader shouted out as he drew his own [Blessed Sword]. "CHARGE TOWARDS HEAVEN, OR FALL BACK INTO HELL!"

Both men and women, all sparsely-armed, blindly charged into the flames.

"More maggots?" Glass remarked. "SO SHALL THEY TOO, WILL BURN!"

Switching POV: Rino

The whole situation for them didn't exactly go bad, per se, but it definitely escalated beyond anyone's expectations.

Granted, they still held the advantage in terms of raw power, but in terms of overall insanity, it was until now that they were contested.

Sure, the previous encounters were just as ridiculous in terms of body count they've racked up, but before, they were dealing with utter morons.

... Now at the other end, they were dealing with suicidal martyrs. How does she know all this?

Well, it's safe to say that now they're completely surrounded.

"Dammit!" Rino cursed as she threw another set of [Steel Throwing Knives] towards another martyr. "Just how the hell did these get into the city? I thought Nan had the whole perimeter on lockdown!"

"... Dunno, but these bastards rank of piss and shite." Genbu remarked as he silt another martyr's throat.

"Wait..." Rino remarked after she loosed an arrow towards a zealot. "Piss and shit?"

She then approaches a dead zealot and sniffs on her cloak.

"... Oh shit." Rino remarked. "GENBU! THEY'RE ALL COMING FROM THE SEWERS!"

"WHAT!? THE CITY HAD SEWERS!?" Genbu replied in surprise after he kills another Zealot. "BUT I THOUGHT THEY STILL USED CHAMBERPOTS!"

"The whole city itself is amidst a mixed state of technology." The [Stygian] pointed out as he shredded another martyr. "It was transitioning before we got here, maybe that's why I've failed to grasp the whole city from master's map alone..."

"... You mean to say that the map of Zeltoble that Nan got was an outdated edition?" Rino asked.

"We've been had." The [Stygian] answered as he crawled out of all of the dying martyr's facial orifices. "But that doesn't change what we came here for. Kill them all, and leave no survivors."

"I'll bitch it to Nan later." Rino grumbled out as she stabbed another with her [Spark Dagger]. "Until then, we continue as planned."

"No need to tell me twice, lassie!" Genbu hollered out as she threw one his [Silver Buckler] like discus towards a martyr's face, knocking him out.

Rino spots another [Church Soldier] climbing up to the building that they were on, and shoots an arrow at its eye.

"SHIT! I'M ALMOST OUT OF ARROWS!" Rino cursed as she throws another [Steel Throwing Knife] at another martyr. "GENBU, YOU HAVE ANY ASSHOLES WITH FULL QUILLS!?"

"Catch!"

The [Gremlin] tosses a full quill towards Rino.

"Thanks!" Rino stated as she fired her last arrow from her old quill.

A large man with a [Blessed Mace] comes charging towards her, but [Stygian] slashes through his ankles before Rino follows up with a stab from her [Spark Dagger] before kicking his massive body off the building edge, crushing three more martyrs underneath.

"Don't let up." The [Stygian] pointed out. "Don't let them swarm the building."

"EASIER SAID THAN DONE!" Genbu cried out as he slashed another's throat. "THESE FUCKWADS ARE PILING BODIES NEXT TO THE BUILDING! THEY'RE USING THE BODIES OF THEIR OWN TO CLIMB UP!"

"CAN'T YOU BURN THEM!?" Rino asked as she shot another down. "YOU DID THAT BACK AT THE COLISEUM, DIDN'T YOU!?"

"I CAN ONLY USE IT ONCE A DAY!" Genbu pointed out. "WEREN'T YOU LISTENING BACK THEN!?"

"WILL YOU TWO FOCUS!?" Stygian cried out in exasperation before shredding another with is black tendril-blades.

As the swarming continued, the intensity of the enemy's charges grew more and more in ferocity. With each martyred, ten more took their place.

The whole city was now littered with bodies of both freed slaves and the Church martyrs, with both sides refusing to give any modicum of corner, slowly devolving further and further into their long-untapped primal rage.

"KILL THEM! KILL THEM! DEATH TO THE OPPRESSORS!"

"KILL THEM! KILL THEM! DEATH TO THE HERETICS!"

"KILL THEM! KILL THEM! DEATH TO ALL WHO STANDS BEFORE US!"

"KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!"

The echoed cries themselves were thirsting for blood. The people beneath the burning city streets were utterly void of any semblances of mercy and compassion.

One fought for freedom that they were denied of until just now. The other fought for the name of their so-called [Heroes] that they worshipped as gods.

But both were simply fighting to kill the other, as if neither cause nor ideal mattered anymore.

Death was now their sole religion, with their respective opposition being their sacrifices.

The sacrifices towards the God known as Nan Hon-Jah.

... Rino had no problems with that, since the [Spear Hero] utterly screwed her over, so might as well get even.

"COME ON, YOU BASTARDS!" Rino roared out. "WHO WANTS TO BECOME A PINCUSHION!?"

She continued to fire more arrows towards her sacrifices.

All are fodder before the [Tome Fallen]. Death to the Kingdom that betrayed her.

Death to the whole world that just stood by and watched.

... Long live the coming world that shall be ushered by their hands.

Switching POV: Imia

She couldn't believe it, she was finally freed, and she finally reunited with her father.

Five years prior, during one of the border attacks in Siltvelt, Imia was living with her fourth mother (long story), while her father was off fighting in a war against Melromarc. All of the sudden, her village came under attack, the human soldiers killing every men in the village, with the women and children being corralled into carts as slaves to be sold to the human nobles.

Her fourth mother died in captivity before she can be sold, and ever since then, she herself was sold from noble to noble, beaten, abused, tortured, raped, and humiliated for five years straight.

Thankfully, she herself was spared from being the "opening act", but even then, the handlers had plans for her to be facing against a swan [Kenku] that they've caught, roleplaying some old story of a woman who was raped by a man who transformed into swan to have his way with him.

She prayed for a quick death, for even if she were to be raped, she would most likely killed regardless. Nevertheless, death was her only means of escape.

... But then, tonight happened.

A pair of strangers, with one currently bathing herself in flames to protect her, freed her and the rest of the slaves, then tells them that their homes and kingdoms had abandoned them to their faith, and that if they wished to live, then they would have to fight for it, not only against the city of slavers, but the rest of the world at large, so that their freedom may be secured.

It may explain why the Siltvelt's [Sentinels] hasn't shown up to their village, so were her mother and her abandoned to their fates? At least, in the end, the pain underneath bondage was over at last.

... But at what cost?

Her father, fighting alongside with two other demihumans, were like literal demons from the depths of Hell, ripping and tearing their way through their oppositions, with the humans clad in white and blood trying to push back with unrelenting zeal. Biting, clawing, and beating their way forward, they were showing no signs of their former selves, once civil, now devolved into manic bloodlust.

Her father, in the past five years of searching for her, has become a monster-no.

... Everywhere, in this burning city. There were nothing, but monsters.

The whole world that she knew five years back, has gone straight to Hell in a handbasket.

She wanted to scream, she wanted to pray to god, she wants to cry out for help, but her pleas towards the smoke-choked skies were drowned out by the manic and crazed cries of the monsters around her, all of them chanting a singing for nothing short of death.

"... Ah, I see. God died along with mother."

She falls to her knees and begins laughing as tears flowed out of her eyes.

She would throw herself into the carnage if she can help it, but she couldn't.

Not even death was an escape to the madness that plagued the world that she once knew.

... She died. Everyone died. The whole world died.

And from its ashes, they were all reborn. As monsters.

There were no humans and demihumans anymore. The boundaries were breached beyond repair.

Everyone was now a monster in this new and nightmarish world that she woke up to. Once a sleeping slave, now awake in an utter nightmare.

... Upon reaching this horrific revelation, she continues to laugh and cackle manically, as the last dredges of her sanity had finally abandoned her poor soul to erode into dust.

Behind her, a massive explosion that drowned out the cries were heard, followed up by more sounds of flesh and bone being torn apart.

"Cheers luv..."

... A monster riding on top of a horse made of kelp was standing above her, imposing its intimidating silhouette over the little girl amidst the flames.

"... Calvary's here!"

Switching POV: Back to 1st-Person

"... Okay, what's going on here?" I asked anyone around me for answers. "Just why's there a bunch of those churchgoing dumbasses doing in a place like this?"

... No seriously. Why are they here?

"DEMON KING!"

Some of the churchgoers cry out towards me, all of them brandishing their weapons towards me.

"WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED!" One of them cried out. "SURRENDER-"

*BANG*

*THUD*

From one [Stone Spike] to the head later, the whole scene of carnage I went and broke through goes dead silent.

"... What?" I pointed out. "Why are you all gawking at me for!? Get back to killing each other already!"

The scene then goes back to how it was, by that, I mean a lot of deaths.

"Alright, time to execute phase four." I stated. "But first..."

I snap my fingers, signaling the entirety of the [Berserk Corps] to action, and push back the opposition.

"Good." I remarked. "Now for time for phase four-"

"NAN!" I heard Rino's voice coming from the rooftops surrounded by a bunch of suicidal bastards. "A LITTLE HELP!?"

"Consider it done!" I stated as I snapped my fingers. "GET EM', [KENKUS]!"

From the night sky, several [Kenkus] descend from above, picking off several idiots before moving in and retrieving Rino, Genbu, and [Stygian] from the rooftops and down towards me.

I then fire my [Grimoire Heart] towards the evacuated building, causing it to implode with my [Gale Bomb].

"Sorry if I was late." I apologized. "Had to make sure that no one else was alive in the whole city."

"Yeah, we noticed." Rino grumbled. "And regarding the whole reason why the [Three Heroes Church] are here..."

"... The bloody map was outdated." Genbu stated. "Turns out that there were sewers running through the place, who knew?"

... You know what? I'm not even mad.

In fact, this actually makes the situation even better, in my opinion.

"The map is useless at this point." I remarked as I threw the now-outdated map into the flames. "More importantly, anyone hurt?"

A severed human head lands on my lap.

"... I'll take that as a no." I remarked. "Regardless, we better not linger around for much longer. Rino! Tell everyone to clear out! I'm bringing in the Calvary!"

"Got it!" Rino stated as she relayed the message to the others. "EVERYONE! CLEAR THE WAY! RETREAT! RETREAT!"

The [Blood-Oath Zealots] break away from their engagement, I spot Garou and Fubuki helping out an armored mercenary with a little girl escape, and special mention to Genbu, who just by simply opening his flask, the fumes of his tire fire-scented booze immediately knocks out Glass from her [Wrath Fan 3] form right before Rino caught her in her arms as she and [Stygian] made their way to the remaining rooftops.

"DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!" The churchgoers cried out. "AFTER THE HERETICS-"

*BANG*

*THUD*

... I think my magic gun might be my favorite source of radio silence.

Regardless, for the churchgoers, it was too late.

"RUN THEM DOWN!" I roared out towards my coming "Calvary".

... Which not only includes my aforementioned [Berserk Corps], but now it's newest editions, consisting of 9 [Dragonewts], 100 [Hellhounds], 3 [Nues], 6 Vulture [Kenkus], and a subway-train-sized serpent [Basilisk].

How did I get those? Well, it turned out that there was an elaborate tunnel system that connected to other coliseums, with me finding a [Basilisk] in a suspended cage as the "Feature Presentation". The rest were just slavers, handlers, and civilians, that I turned with my [Sacrifical Dagger], with the special exception of the [Hellhounds].

Poor bastards were starving in their cages, so I had them track down the rest of Oligarchs running Zeltoble, and well, fed them.

And of course, the rest were put to either torch, or eaten.

... Or both, but in my defense, it doesn't count as cannibalism it you aren't the same species. Just ask Napoleon from Animal Farm (the pig-demihuman noble that tried to buy Rio back then) that I just ate. Only like, a piece, though.

And to my great shame, he tasted really good. Like literal boar meat I had back when I was a kid back in South Korea.

"CHARGE! TRAMPLE THEM UNDERFOOT!" I roared out as I led the stampede on my [Kelpie].

Now normally, sane people would run from seeing a horde of man-eating creatures coming towards them. But these guys?

"KILL THEM!" They roared out. "KILL THE DEMON KING!"

... And I call myself suicidal.

So instead of telling you the general details of the next orgy of blood and gore that happened to those suicidal bastards in the next minute, I'll just give you all a highlight reel featuring the most standout moments of the carnage.

The [Minotaurs] goring several lunatics with their horns like kebabs.

The [Basilisk] melting down their whole bodies with its [Corrosive Breath].

The [Hellhounds] ripping apart one guy like a freshly-killed prey, pack by pack.

The [Dragonewts] and the [Lizardmen] punching through their torsos with their scaly fists.

The [Nues] biting their heads off as they ate them like Titans from Attack on Titan.

The [Kenkus] fighting over a single guy as they slowly draw and quarter him midair.

The [Golem] performing a tombstone piledriver onto one guy into a group of several guys.

The [Cu Sith] bit a guy in his balls before working his way up to his upper torso.

The [Kelpie] mule-kicking some wiseguy trying to get the jump on me, tearing off his entire lower jaw from his face.

The [Werelions] and [Werebears] clawing through several guys, with special mention to a certain [Werelion] that bit through a guy's sword like a stale pretzel stick before snapping his neck with its fangs, and a shout-out to a [Werebear] that sat on one guy so hard that his head popped like a pimple.

And I myself, turn one of them into a [Power], the lowest of the Second Sphere Angels, right before shoving a barrel of my gun into another guy's mouth before blowing his head off with a [Volt Bomb].

... Simply put, it was no contest.

A literal one-sided massacre, with the churchgoers being the unfortunate victims.

However, there were still more of them, still coming out of the holes engraved into the earth, like, as in, literally, they were like termites out of woodwork.

"Uhh, just one question!" I asked the fresh reinforcements out of the blue. "Why aren't you guys retreating? I mean, I enjoy killing you creeps, like, for reals, but c'mon! A man can only take so much before he runs away from a face of power like your's truly!"

"JUST WHAT DOES A DEMON LIKE YOU KNOW ABOUT US HUMANS!?" Their leader retorted. "IF A FACE OF EVIL SHOWS ITSELF, DO WE HUMANS RUN AWAY? NAY! WE OF THE FOLLOWERS OF THE [THREE CARDINAL HEROES] MUST FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE! WE WILL NOT FALTER! WE WILL NOT RETREAT! AND WE WILL NOT RELENT TO AN EVIL LIKES OF YOU!"

... I then began clapping my hands, sarcastically.

"Oscar Award-winning speech right there, Mr. Soon-to-be-Dead-Man." I sardonically stated in my most deadpan tone possible. "But you do realize that you and your flock of sheep are looking like total idiots, right?"

"WE SHALL SEE WHOEVER'S THE FOOL-"

*BANG*

*THUD*

... Another moment of radio silence, courtesy of my [Frost Arrow] shutting him up. I'm honestly getting really good at this, and I fucking love it.

"... No seriously, one final warning." I stated at most seriousness. "Turn back while you still can if you wish to live, because as far as I'm concerned, suicide is the coward's way out."

None move a muscle. All of them, all of them, still drew their blades, feet planted to the ground, gazes like the sheen of polished steel and tempered iron.

... I sigh out in disappointment.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." I remarked. "Execute phase four."

The ground around the idiotic martyrs began to bloat, right before half-rotten limbs burst out of the ground, grabbing their legs and crawling their way to their necks.

... Oh right, and about my ignorance of there being sewers underneath Zeltoble? And that working to my favor?

Yeah, my surprise undead horde that I secretly ordered Yaelia to create now has to work less to make their way into the city depths.

And the best part? Those churchgoers and their [Blessed-] weapons?

... The undead basically have an [Empress]'s protection, meaning regular anti-undead measures won't do shit to them. And yes, Yaelia's "protection" can also spread to other corpses.

Meaning I have [Anointed] undead from the clergymen that Yaelia's [Zombies] and [Skeletons] have killed, meaning that [Light] magic and attacks won't do shit to them.

Combined that with the fact that the clergymen carry nothing but [Blessed] weapons and only teach [Light] magic... Yeah, do the math.

"I warned you." I remarked to the mob of clergymen currently being devoured by the [Light]-immune undead. "... But this is what happens when people don't listen to reason."

After moments of flesh and sinew being chewed and flayed, standing before me, once, a brainwashed cult of [Hero]-worshipping churchgoers have turned into my legion of [The Anointed Children].

"[Renowned Conqueror] Title, unlocked." My HUD announced.

[Renowned Conqueror]

"I have gathered an army of people from all walks of life. We shall walk towards the future we share."

+100 to All Stats when equipping a [Legion]

Boo-yah. Plan went off without a hitch.

"Alright everyone, listen up!" I roared out. "Before phase five begins, I got a few things to announce! Rino, I entrust these mob of spookies to you, sop treat them well, you hear?"

"Uh... Yeah, sure." Rino awkwardly stated as I handed the control of [The Anointed Children] to her in my HUD.

"Alright then, second!" I roared out. "... We're going to need a few things for our journey, so... feel free to sack the entire city, but try not to take too long, you hear?"

All of them scatter around the city, taking whatever's not nailed down and putting em into sacks.

Now all was around me were a city in flames, and the unconscious Glass, now laying down behind my saddle.

I take a moment to breathe in, and let it out, all in order for me to calm myself down from my little power high.

"... Ugh." I groaned out as I slouched my head forward. "That was friggin' exhausting."

"You tell me, kiddo..." Grimm remarked as he woke up. "I thought it was supposed to get easier..."

"It doesn't." I grimly pointed out. "Quite the opposite, it's just getting harder. The opposition is becoming more willing, the obstacles will become harder to surmount, and each passing day of inhaling the ashes of my victims are going to continually damage both my body and soul."

"But we can't quit, right?" Grimm pointed out.

I then recall what I said to L'Arc several hours back. That the reason why kept spilling blood is to ensure the blood I've spilled beforehand doesn't go in vain.

... Funny how I'm the one having second thoughts about spilling blood. Because no matter how things turn out in the end, I'll still have the memories of me butchering countless people with sadistic glee.

All the lives that I took... All the lives I've condemned to the eternal fires of the underworld, all in pursuit of my ideals and dreams...

... Do I still think about it? Will my actions haunt me for the rest of my life.

"... Ugh, no use thinking about it." I dismissively remarked. "What's done is done, why am I going to lose sleep over assholes that deserved to die? Aren't I doing this because they deserve it?"

"They did, but they themselves think they sure as hell don't." Grimm pointed out. "Death's a funny thing. Anyone can do it, but not everyone can accept it."

"Fair enough." I sighed out. "... We're in this for the long haul anyway."

Behind me, Glass wakes up.

"... Ugh, my head." Glass groaned out as she floated down from my [Kelpie]. "... Since when the hell did you get a blackeye?"

"It's a long story." I sheepishly remarked.

Switching POV: Church Survivor

... Unbelievable.

It was unbelievable that they were outwitted by the Demon King. Their carefully laid plan to ambush his forces of evil and wipe them from the face of the earth, only to be struck from behind and massacred by the very things that they were supposed to have divine protection against.

Undid by undead, by all things.

Inconceivable. Simply inconceivable.

Forced to play dead, got stabbed in the back three times, each puncture he was forced to endure in order to get the chance to avenge her comrades.

... Cowardly as it is, it was necessary. For if the Demon King continues to tread this world, then the people in it will continue to suffer.

"It must be done..." She told herself. "All sacrifices made up to this point cannot be in vain..."

In the deepest depths of the sewers, a giant [Obelisk] stood before her. In her hands, a [Three Heroes Church Crucifix], its single gem glowing.

"... I will avenge my comrades." She told herself. "... I WILL KILL THE DEMON KING!"

The [Obelisk] then unseals itself, reacting to the gem embedded in the rosary.

A long-sealed demonic beast, The King of the Underdark that the sewers were built upon, the Undead God that breaches the boundaries of life and death, the Life-Ender, and the Apex Abomination that the [Three Heroes Chruch] has sealed away into the kingdom that it once ruled.

Standing before the trembling lamb was the drooling, pulsating, and vilest undead that the festering pits of creation can muster.

Before her was [Torog], in its crawling, squirming, and otherworldly form, sputtering out bile and vomit from its half-rotten and half-stitched mouth.

The woman only had one thing to say to the abomination.

"DESTROY THE DEMON KING!" She roared out as she drew out her [Blessed Spear] with her rosary to ward off the foul construct.

The creature squeals before making it's way up to the surface, where the Demon King that took all of her friends away from her.

In exhaustion, she falls onto her back, laughing.

"... God, if you can hear this insignificant lamb, forgive thy transgression." She prayed. "... For in order to destroy evil, I've committed a greater evil-"

Above her, the crawling abomination falls back underground slammed down by a massive beam of searing light, squirming and flailing like a crying infant before it douses her in sewage upon impact.

She and the fell beast fall further down into the [Underdark], breaking through several layers of stone and reaching bedrock, covered in dust and gravel.

"... W-W-Wh-Wha-What?" She stuttered out in utter disbelief as she saw the abomination that took the utmost of the [Three Heroes Church]'s efforts to even seal the beast...

... ONLY FOR THE DEMON KING TO SET HIS FEET UPON IT'S SEARED CORPSE AS THE VICTOR!?

"Welp, that was a good workout." The Demon King vocalized. "It seems that every time I try to regret my actions, there's always something around me to reconsider my pity for these plebeians. I'm honestly feel a little insulted."

"... W-WHY!?" She screeched out. "HOW THE HELL DID YOU MANAGED TO KILL AN UNDEAD GOD!?"

The Demon King jumps down next to her, right before crouching aside her.

"Because an undead god is still a god, pumpkin." The Demon King boasted. "That, and well, look up."

Silhouetted against the full moon was a winged whale-like creature.

A [Bahamut], the king of all [Dragons], said to be the envoys of God themselves, siding with a Demon.

"You know, there is a song I used to sing back home when things made no sense." The Demon King stated. "Ahem, here we go."

Oh God, please kill this suffering sheep now-

Everything you know is wrong

Black is white, up is down and short is long

And everything you thought was just so important doesn't matter

Everything you know is wrong

Just forget the words and sing along

All you need to understand is

Everything you know is wrong

"PLEASE JUST KILL ME!" She screeched out as the song continued to grate against her brain like fine steel file. "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! STOP SINGING!"

Her cries and pleas of mercy then devolves into mad laughter as the Demon King continues with his outright tortuous singing.

Eventually, the Demon King ceases singing after finishing with his song that absolutely made no sense.

"... Ple-hehehe-ease." She half-chuckled out in her fits of madness and despair. "Kil-hilhilhil mehehehehehe... Ple-hehehehe-ease..."

"Ehhhh... No."

An evil-looking shiv embeds into her chest as the Demon King smiled at her like an angel.

"How about community service... for the rest of your life."

Her soul was now being taken over from the inside.

Her innermost demons were literally clawing her way through her body as maggots would devour their way out of a carcass.

Herself was a becoming a reality.

Herself wasn't real.

Herself was never human.

INVOCATION SUCCESSFUL

TAKEOVER COMPLETE

WELCOME [ANGEL]

... She was an [Angel]. Not a human named "Jezebel".

And before her was Nan Hon-Jah, her new master.

... Her new God.

Switching POV: Back to 1st-Person

"... Shame we couldn't recruit an undead god, but hey, I guess we finally got all of them, right old man!?"

"Unbelievable indeed..." Gaelion remarked. "... To think she would be driven to take such action in the first place."

"Well, she's free now." I pointed out to my newest edition to my ever-growing family, Astarte, the [Angel]. "No longer a sinful human, but a pure creature."

"... Sure, let's go with that."

I had Astarte fly me out of the dark pits below, leaving behind the massive whale-sized corpse of some sort of meat-centipede with a massive hole burnt through its chest.

... I dunno. It's been forever since I played DnD, so I can barely recognize the creature.

"Hey Gaelion?" I asked. "... That [Lunar Megaflare] that you did. It was fucking rad."

"Oh no no no, I have you to thank." Gaelion replied. "Not only you let me fly above the clouds to keep an eye on you, but also for calling for my aid when such an abomination was unleashed upon this world."

"Hey." I replied. "... They say no [Hero] fights alone. Couldn't do it without you guys."

"Appreciated, benefactor." Gaelion thanked me. "... By the way, may I take that corpse to my wife as a wedding gift? I mean, it's almost out 342nd anniversary since we first copulated."

"... You sure you won't get tainted by it?" I asked. "I mean, look at that thing..."

... I swear, it moved.

"Fret not." Gaelion reassured. "My [Emperor] status will ward me from all curses that may befall upon any normal beast."

"Just be sure that Wyndia doesn't get caught up in it..." I remarked as I landed on the surface once more, met by a pissed-off Glass.

"... Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just dropkick your ass back into the hole." Glass gritted out.

"The map I had with me was outdated." I replied. "And I don't even know how the calendars work here."

Glass lets out a sigh before hugging me.

"... Close enough." She stated. "Come on. Others are waiting."

"Ladies first." I stated as I led Glass ahead.

As she walked ahead towards the [Blood-Oath Zealots] and the [Berserk Corps], all gathering looted objects, foods, and a lot of treasure that literally have no other purpose other than to bribe and tempt others.

... The real disturbing part of this? Barely three bales of wheat.

"Ugh..." I sighed out. "... It'll do. We'll simply forage, as usual."

Of course burning down an entire city-state and get away with looting literally everything would be too easy.

"Okay, fuck this." I remarked. "Everyone, cover your ears. Just don't ask why, just do it if you wish to live."

They all reluctantly cover their ears as I did with mine, right before I relayed the orders to the rest of my party members around the surrounding perimeter to do the same.

[Executing phase five. All party members, shut your ears, that's an order.] I ordered Gaelion through my comms. [Commence cleanup. Use [Elysium Elegy].]

Switching POV: Gaelion

It was an odd sensation for this [Bahamut Emperor], that's for sure.

Once a renowned [Dragon Emperor], unopposed by many before being dethroned by a [Hero]'s [Filolial Queen], now once-humbled into a father figure for a dog-demihuman girl that he took under his wing, almost meeting his sudden end by the [Sword Hero] before he was intervened by the [Tome Hero], reunited with his wife, now an undead, and now, he'd reached the pinnacle beyond his wildest dreams.

All [Dragons] dreamt of becoming a [Bahamut], a holy [Dragon] said to be the envoys of the gods residing in the stars.

... Now he was one, ready to finally sing his long-awaited victory ballad.

The full moon behind him was now his limelight.

All of his wings spread out far and wide as it could.

He inhales a deep gulp of oxygen...

... And then let out his [Elysium Elegy].

The sonorous cry that echoes through air, land, and waters. A holy cry that makes the stars above the skies stop moving, the waves of a raging ocean to come to a dead lull...

... And for all unprepared hearts of man, to stop beating.

The pinnacle has been reached. He's now surpassed his past, reckless self.

He has surpassed the heavens, he's surpassed the pain that humbled him.

... And at the bottom of his heart, he had the [Tome Fallen], his wife and adopted daughter, and their newfound family to thank.

"The Heavens shall immortalize thy names, my benefactors..." Gaelion declared. "Nay... My family."

He continues to sing, in hopes of liberating those who've been corrupted by this ruined and broken world, that their souls can finally find peace beyond the mortal coil that've tainted them in the first place.

The song continued to resonated throughout the lands, as the final lullaby to those who've been awake from their suffering.

"... Rest In Peace, Little Lambs."

And with that, the elegy for the redeemed came to an end.

Switching POV: Back to 1st-Person

[It's finished.]

I then let out a sigh as I uncovered my ears.

[Okay, everyone, you can let go now.] I relayed the message.

Everyone behind me uncovers their ears.

"... So, what happened?" Glass asked me.

I just simply wave my hand towards me as [Kelpie] (who buried his head into a shallow hole) lowered himself to let me and Glass mount.

"I think it's best if I show you." I remarked as I rode out of the city, with the others following me.

We eventually reach the outskirts of the city, and into the forest, we find several remaining [Church Soldiers], all of them...

... Lying dead on the dirt.

"... Okay, some of them are asleep, technically." I stated. "But considering that [Elysium Elegy] puts them to sleep permanently, well, they might as well be dead."

I dismount and stab one of them with my [Sacrificial Dagger], [Invoking] an [Archangel].

Then I kept going, getting another [Angel].

Then a [Principality].

And another [Archangel].

And another, and another, and another-yeah you get the idea.

I amassed enough [Angels], [Archangels], and [Principalities] to form a legion of their own.

Behold the brand new [Elysium Evangelion Euphorias]. Cheesy? Yes. Fitting? Debatable. Out of my fucking gourd for thinking such name in the first place?

... Yep, I'm losing my mind.

"... Eh, you know what, let's just skip to the good part." I sighed out as I gave the control of the [Elysium Evangelion Euphorias] to Fubuki (don't ask why). "You there in the armor, is everyone here accounted for?"

"Why are you asking me?" The knight with the clawed mitts asked while speaking like John DiMaggio. "And who the hell are you?"

"The guy who started the fire." I replied. "And the guy who's going to make sure that city is completely wiped off the map. You okay with that?"

"... Eh, good enough." The knight remarked.

"That's the cue then." I remarked before I dug through the comms. "Rubicante!"

The [Iblis] appears before me in a pillar of flames.

"Yes, sultan?"

"Execute phase six." I ordered. "Burn that shithole of a city to the ground."

"Acknowledged."

My Islam version of actual-Satan flies towards the now-ruined city, finishing the job that we've started. And by that, set the rest of the city and any possible survivors on fire.

Because there's no better fire, then [Hellfire].

"... So while the city burns, can I get a few things cleared up with you guys?" I asked the group behind me. "First of all..."

I point towards the mole-nosed knight.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?" I asked. "... But no, seriously, I'm grateful for your help and all, but I kinda made a personal policy to not trust sentient people post-third [Wave]."

The mole-knight then gives me a look before speaking.

"... So you're the [Dark Architect]?" The mole-knight asked. "I would say that you look shorter in person, but considering that you're the commanding that fire demon that's currently burning the rest of Zeltoble down, I'm just going to keep my mouth shut and just say that I'm grateful that you freed my daughter."

"Wait, what?" I replied before looking at the mole-girl. "... Little girl, just curious, but what's your name?"

"... I-Imia."

Then it hit me like a speeding truck-kun.

So if I remember the canon story from the original web novel properly, Naofumi actually goes to Zeltoble to get additional slaves/paid hires to repopulate his village after the whole "Justice Zombie" incident. Alongside with the orca lady and the Hakuko siblings, Imia was one of the four that Naofumi bought.

... Oh god, where's the orca chick?

"Ohhhhhhohoho... everything's coming together in a mixed result..." I groaned out before I looked at the mole-knight. "... And I take it that you're her father?"

"I said so before, didn't I?" He replied.

"That's just me being sure." I replied. "Like I said, I made it a policy to not to trust people post-third [Wave], but things have become... shall we say, more complicated."

"How so?" The mole-knight asked.

"The mere fact that the [Three Heroes Church] finally acknowledge me as threat greater than the [Shield Hero] revealed two things." I explained. "One, the [Shield Hero] is no longer on top of their priorities, meaning that they'll refocus all their efforts to come and attack me. And two, in the political situation of Melromarc, a line in the sand has been drawn. Either support the efforts to kill me and family for this new crusade, or support the continued efforts to destroyed the now-clearly debunked-threat known as the [Shield Hero]. Either way, this presents both a boon and bane for us. Upside, Melromarc just took its first step of destroying itself from the inside, but the downside, expect more people to come after us, and we cannot be certain if they'll adapt to my wit or remain stubborn in their traditions, but regardless, this whole new situation is now a powder keg with a lit fuse."

"Meaning?" The mole-knight asked.

"... I'd like you to join me." I stated. "With those church bastards now intensifying their sweeps across the continents, you and your striking out on your own will likely result in getting singled out, blackmailed, and the whole situation as a whole is one foot into being completely FUBAR/Fucked Up Beyond All Repair, unless, we form a united front."

"I could hold me bloody own." The mole-knight dismissively stated.

"The Church doesn't need to kill you." I retorted. "They'll anyone weak enough as long as they're not human."

"... You're implying that those church psychopaths are after my daughter?" He pointed out.

"At least with me, I can at least provide refuge." I stated. "Three meals a day, a roof over your girl's head, and not to mention, I sort of acquired a mobile mountain as my base of operations."

The mole-knight looks at me with a glare before sighing out.

"Alright, but as soon as this is all over, I'm returning to Siltvelt with my daughter." He grumbled out. "I've away on a war for as my girl was born, and those five years have all but destroyed all four of my marriages."

... So is that why Imia has four last names? Is that how naming conventions even work?

"I can at least promise you that much, Mr..."

"Bah, call me Spitznagel." The mole-knight remarked. "Spitznagel Swartzritter. Let my wives keep their surnames."

Out of curiosity, I kinda checked for his stats with [Analyze].

Name: Spitznagel Swartzritter

Class: [Warlord]

Level: 112

Affinity: [Fire] & [Earth]

Alignment: True Neutral

Equipment: [Magma Mitts], [Garnet Earth Armor], [Smelting God's Helm], [Burning Visor: Vulcan]

Attack: 135 (+250)

Defence: 189 (+350)

Agility: 70

Luck: 100

HP: 1,700 (+500)

MP: 500 (+100)

... Holy shit man. I thought normal people can barely pass level 40.

Guess he's the best one that money can buy, I mean look at his stats!

"Welcome aboard!" I welcomed Spitznagel. And for the record, I sort of roughly translated his name from German, meaning "Sharp Nail Black Knight".

... That is easily the most kickass name I've ever heard, and quite apt, too.

"Oh, it would be just magical if this day kept getting better!" I remarked.

From a distance, I spot a familiar flash coming from the foliage.

Someone was evolving.

"COME ON!" I shouted out as I mounted my [Kelpie].

We rode through the bushes and trees, and two glows coming from the clearing.

One was coming from Yaelia.

... The other being Wyndia.

"What." I flatly remarked.

Then the glows from both of them cease, evolving into their new forms.

For Yaelia, my former [Wyrmlich], her entire skeleton was now chrome-ivory rather than gunmetal-black, her runes and eyes were now gold in color rather than turquoise/aquamarine. Her horns now doubled in length and amount, now sporting a crown of four horns, and at the center of her forehead was a glowing red gem, her [Empress Core] now being the [Soul Jewel].

Yaelia, once-[Wyrmlich] was now a [Shiryu], spelled in [死竜], meaning "Death Dragon", which, by the way...

... FUCKING METAL.

As for Wyndia, she herself had the most drastic change. Her hair, once dark-red auburn, now jet-black with a single streak of blood red reminiscent of a wisp of flame, her canine teeth were now slightly elongated, her skin was now Hades-shaded to a mid-dark tan, and her eyes, once green-blue, now a bright topaz, making her look absolutely hellish, but oddly alluring, like some sort of a demonic temptress.

Makes sense, for now she was no longer a [Dog Demihuman], but now a fucking [Garmr], the Nordic Hellhounds of Helheim.

... Explains why her appearance now matches her bloodlust.

"Okay, okay..." I tried to hold in my excitement. "... How?"

Wyndia points the completely-fleshbarren skeleton that looks like a cross between a humanoid giant and a mountain-sized centipede.

"... Did you let-GAELION!"

The [Bahamut Emperor] shows himself in his humanlike appearance.

"... Did you honestly let her eat a fucking undead god?" I asked the sweating [Bahamut Emperor].

"She was insistent." Gaelion sheepishly remarked. "... I cannot resist the puppy-dog eyes of my own daughter."

I let a deep breath in before exhaling.

"... You know what?" I remarked. "I'm too tired to be even angry at this point."

I then turn around as ride away.

"Come on, everyone, let's all go back home."

And so, as my party/family regrouped, we left behind the burning city-state of Zeltoble, with all of its inhabitants dead, and it's vile legacy now wiped off the face of this earth.

We came in with flames in our heart.

We exit with victory cries that echoed throughout the land.

"[Great Scourge] Title unlocked."

[Great Scourge]

"Tear the lands asunder as the skies burn and the seas boil. That is destruction at its purest."

[YOU ARE NOW ON YOUR OWN]

[THE REMAINING KINGDOMS WILL NOW BE YOUR SWORN ENEMY]

[GIVE EM HELL SENPAI]

+1,000 to All Stats to all party members when attacking a [Kingdom].

If Party total Stat Exceed the total sum of [1,000,000], then apply -1,000 to all enemy-[Kingdom] affiliated units's overall stats.

... It's as if the [Title] itself is begging me to take over this whole world.

World Conquest? Yeah. Doesn't sound so bad at all. At least this way, I get to start my own real estate business for the inhabitants of the other world.

Because I'm going to need any excuse to kill these ingrates that crawl around this world, and sure enough, I got my permit right here.

"Um, master."

Next to me, I spot Byakko.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You're level 80 now, correct?"

I nod.

My butler then lets out a sigh before speaking.

"... I think it's time to let you in more of your predecessor's legacies."

Switching POV: Palomar Polnareff

It was an arduous journey back home.

From the seas to Siltvelt, from Siltvelt and towards Faubley, the sky pirate has returned home from his admittedly-disastrous journey from Q'Ten Lo, hopefully being the last time that they were spared from seeing the curse ever again.

Out by the main deck, the captain of L'tempete looked towards the sunrise, with his crew finally being able to rest.

"Capitaine!"

The helmsman comes towards the captain by the deck's railing with the jarred sample in hand.

"We finally figured out what this curse is!" The helmsman stated. "It's the [Corvid Curse]!"

"Is there a cure for this?" Palomar asked the helmsman.

"We're currently working on an antibody as we speak." The helmsman happily announced. "It should take around a few months-"

Suddenly, the whole ship was beset upon by a strong gust of wind.

"TUBULANCE!" The ship's PA system blared out. "ALL HANDS! SECURE! SECURE!"

Amidst the rocking, the helmsman trips over himself, dropping the jar as it rolled off the edge of the ship's railings, before it plunged towards the ground below.

The helmsman and the captain exchange looks in utter silence.

"... Tell the crew that we're about to run into a massive problem." Palomar stated. "Also, contact 'clock man' to prepare for fallout measures."

"OUI CAPITAINE!"

The helmsman runs back into the ship, leaving the captain be.

"... Well, it's been nice knowing you, Faubley." Palomar dryly remarked. "I would say au revoir, but instead... mange de la merde."


To Be Continued...


Author's Notes: And so, an entire Kingdom/City-State of Zeltoble has been reduced to an arid flat of land.

Got two new [Legions], [The Anointed Children], and the [Elysium Evangelion Euphorias].

Not to mention, a strong ally has been secured, and the whole campaign against the whole world has begun on a mixed, yet bright note.

A lot of levels have been earned, a lot of new monsters have been recruited to the cause, and Nan's now considered a viable enough threat for them to finally ignore the [Shield Hero].

... And the outbreak of a foreign curse has begun from a simple turbulence.

Welp, the world's fucked either way, so might as well go both ways, right?

Also, for [Bahamut Emperor]'s [Elysium Elegy], look up the Climax Song from Symphogear.


Current Party Members:


Name: [Great Scourge], Nan Hon-Jah

Class: [Tome Fallen]

Level: 80

Affinity: [All Eight Elements] & [Ten Primordial Sins]

Alignment: Chaotic Mad

Equipment: [Forbidden Tome, Grimm the Heretic], [Grimoire Heart], [Lemegeton], [Sibylline], [Necromancer's Robes], [Mire Boots], [Wight's Rune of Spite], [Silver Wolf's Maw], [Bandit's Silver Thumb], [Visage of Madness], [Mystic Geas: Puppeteer], [Portable Dragon's Hourglass], [Slayer's Rusted Plate Armor]

Legion: [Berserk Corps]

Attack: 95 (+195)

Defense: 92 (+40)

Agility: 90 (+35)

Luck: 85 (+45)

HP: 700 (+105)

MP: 820 (+305)


Name: Garou

Class: [Brawler]

Level: 84

Affinity: [Dark]

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Equipment: [Assassin's Leather Armor], [Nightshroud], [Blade Gauntlets], [Primal Claws], [Katars]

Attack: 107 (+50)

Defense: 75 (-20)

Agility: 115 (+65)

Luck: 61 (+20)

HP: 910 (+20)

MP: 360 (-100)


Name: Fubuki

Class: [Monk]

Level: 83

Affinity: [Ice]

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Equipment: [Twilight Gunstaff], [Darkbane Gauntlets], [Twilight Cloak], [Twilight Hunter's Hood], [Mana Medallion]

Legion: [Elysium Evangelion Euphorias]

Attack: 94 (+45)

Defense: 67 (+30)

Agility: 104 (+25)

Luck: 96 (+20)

HP: 630 (-50)

MP: 1,020 (+100)


Name: Genbu

Class: ?

Level: ?

Affinity: None

Alignment: ?

Equipment: [Wayward Nomad's Garbs], [Silver Pocket Watch & Chain], [Silver Shortsword], [Silver Buckler], [Fafnir's Flametongue]

Attack: ?

Defense: ?

Agility: ?

Luck: 9,999

HP: ?

MP: ?


Name: Rino

Class: [Assassin]

Level: 75

Affinity: [Earth]

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Equipment: [Brave Compound Bow], [Spark Dagger], [Steel Throwing Knives x20], [Assassin's Cloak], [Shadow Mufflers], [Silent Step Sandals]

Legion: [The Anointed Children]

Attack: 82 (+80)

Defense: 50 (+10)

Agility: 108 (+120)

Luck: 97 (+90)

HP: 450 (+40)

MP: 400 (+40)


Name: Glass

Class: [Phantom Fan Saint]

Level: 93

Affinity: [Dark]

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Equipment: [Sacred Fans], [Kimono of Mourning], [Pristine Visage]

Legion: [Blood-Oath Zealots]

Attack: 108 (+50)

Defense: 87 (+70)

Agility: 129 (+50)

Luck: 59 (+100)

HP: 820 (+200)

MP: 890 (+250)


So what do you guys think of this Epic?

Will Nan's conquest succeed with a literal army of monsters?

Will the [Corvid Curse] ravage the through the whole continent like the fucking Black Death?

And are the naming conventions used throughout this Epic cool or stupid? Or both?

Please leave a comment or a review, for I'd love to know what my audience are thinking!