Chapter 84

The Dead Holy Knight is classified as a Catastrophe-level monster.

In this region, the power of numbers becomes ineffective. It must be dealt with by the same overwhelming individual power.

"Necromancy... indeed, the very creation of monsters is forbidden. I see, it is truly demonic."

Magic is a free force.

Since it is not fixed like magical equipment, any spell can be created with imagination. However, it also carries the potential for misuse.

For example, the soul magic created by the Truth of All Things.

It is an incomplete magic that requires sacrifices.

A magic that creates undead monsters by sacrificing 260,000 people would never be recognized by the Demon God Cult.

"Let's cut off this technology here."

Richter ignored the created Dead Holy Knight and swung his spear at the demon. Meanwhile, Floria aimed and shot the Dead Holy Knight with a sniper shot.

As the Holy Knight and the demon clashed, a light arrow approached the undead knight.

However, the Dead Holy Knight, which can even exceed the speed of sound, deflected the arrow with his sword. At the Catastrophe level, it is a monster that can be handled by multiple S-rank magical equipment users. This level of attack is naturally dealt with.

(If the old master kills the demon... I must take care of this one.)

The Dead Holy Knight, though classified as an undead, is still a type of monster. It is not truly immortal.

The characteristic of undead monsters is that they continue to move even if part of their body is destroyed, but they can be defeated by completely destroying their body. While it is difficult to completely annihilate a Catastrophe-level monster, Floria, as an awakened magical equipment user, had confidence.

"O flames..."

With a bow in her left hand and a magic array in her right, she chanted and first completed the Eighth Tier of Fire, the "White Flame Flash." As befits a grand magic, the magic array is quite large.

And this is where Floria's originality comes in.

Instead of releasing the completed magic array, she folds and compresses it.

By combining it with magical equipment, she turns the magic array into a single arrow. She nocks the arrow, which glows white, onto her bow. Of course, her target is the Dead Holy Knight.

"Roar!"

A fearsome cry can be heard from the pure white helmet.

By being targeted by Floria, the Dead Holy Knight set her as the target to be killed. It leaped with a force that split the ground and raised its sword in its right hand.

(Too slow.)

Accurate shooting with magical equipment.

The glowing arrow pierces the air at five times the speed of sound. A speed that a normal person cannot even follow with their eyes. The Dead Holy Knight cannot avoid it either. Reluctantly, it gave up on the attack and raised its shield in its left hand.

However, this was exactly what Floria aimed for.

By condensing the Eighth Tier of Fire, the "White Flame Flash," into a single arrow, she can converge and launch the magic power without losing its potency.

The "White Flame Flash," which burns a wide area with white flames, becomes unimaginably powerful when condensed. It pierced the Dead Holy Knight's large shield without resistance and obliterated its left arm and chest.

"Got it!"

A cry of joy escaped her lips.

It was fortunate that the Dead Holy Knight was a newly created, low-intelligence monster. Among Catastrophe-level undead, the Undead Pope and the Ancestor Vampire are highly intelligent. Being a Dead Holy Knight was fortunate.

However, she cannot be complacent.

The Dead Holy Knight has not been annihilated.

Magic power flows out from the left upper body that was blown away, but it continues to attack without stopping. However, the Dead Holy Knight is no match for Floria now.

"O flames..."

She then chanted the Seventh Tier of Fire, the "Great Explosion."

She compressed the magic array that materialized in her right hand into an arrow using the power of magical equipment. This time, it is a crimson arrow like magma.

Floria, without hesitation, released the finishing blow.

It headed straight for the Dead Holy Knight and aimed to hit its abdomen. The Dead Holy Knight deflected it with its sword. However, the crimson arrow triggered a great explosion upon contact with the sword. The power of the Seventh Tier, classified as a high-level magic, is guaranteed. By compressing it, it became powerful enough to blow away even a Catastrophe-level monster.

The Dead Holy Knight exploded into pieces.

"That's all."

Floria lowered her bow.

Once an awakened magical equipment user, even a monster that could destroy a large city with ease can be easily slain.

And Lichtray, another awakened magical equipment user who has lived longer than Floria, was also cornering the demon.

'Troublesome.'

Lichtray, who manipulates light, was driving it into the demon like stakes. Several cracks ran across the armor covering the demon's entire body, which seemed about to break. However, Chromia's movements did not change at all. It looked like a porcupine, but the light stakes were being stopped by the armor.

There was no damage to Chromia's body.

Lichtray, aware of this, continued to attack steadily without letting his guard down.

(Small attacks are ineffective, then...)

He struck with a heavy blow.

Lichtray manipulated the light and dropped it from above. Chromia transformed its dark blade into a shield. It deflected all the laser attacks.

However, this was something Lichtray had anticipated. The real aim was to take distance while it stopped moving. To pierce the demon with a full-power blow.

He held the spear of his magical equipment in reverse and absorbed the surrounding light. The power Lichtray gained upon awakening as an awakened magical equipment user was the ability to absorb and infinitely compress light. At night, he needed to convert his own magic power into light, but during the day, he could absorb the sun's light without limit. It required almost no magic power. All he needed was the magic power to stabilize the compressed light.

In essence, the light spear he created was just an application of compressing light. The light stakes were also solidified compressed light. The ability he gained upon awakening was not an evolution but a fundamental one.

Even a fundamental ability, when mastered, becomes a lethal strike.

"I apologize, but let's end this here. We may need to apologize to the King of Flor."

While saying this, he placed the spear's handle on his right shoulder and took aim.

He stabilized it with two points, his right hand and shoulder, and glared at the demon.

Lichtray's ultimate technique is to launch compressed light as a spear. It pierces all matter at the speed of light, and the target dies with a single strike.

However, with such immense power, there is also risk.

"I will adjust to minimize the rewriting of the map."

Lichtray, who jumped up, threw the light spear from above.

If thrown horizontally, it would pierce everything in a straight line. Therefore, by throwing it from above, the damage would be minimized. This is based on his long experience.

A strike at the speed of light is impossible to avoid.

A fierce flash of light spread centered on the demon Chromia. The intense heat melted the ground, turning it into a gooey mess. It emitted light quietly without any explosion sound.

The light, stronger than the sun, shot up like a pillar into the sky.

It was clearly visible to the citizens of the capital of the Kingdom of Flor, who felt uneasy. The silent pillar of light seemed like divine punishment purifying the demon. The threat was dispelled, and a sense of relief spread.

Lichtray was also confident that the demon had been annihilated.

He could see it.

The moment the light spear struck, the demon Chromia's armor scattered and melted.

"It's over."

Lichtray, who landed with a thud, muttered.

Floria quickly ran over and praised his skill.

"Truly, old master... to defeat such a demon with a single strike."

"It's the benefit of experience."

A huge crater appeared where the light spear struck. The surrounding ground was melted red and bubbling.

This is what would happen if it were launched horizontally.

As Lichtray considered, the damage to the land was minimal.

"The 'Demon of Blaha' seems to have been successfully annihilated. Let's return."

"Yes."

The two Holy Knights stopped the demon disaster in the Kingdom of Flor.

However, this was not a disaster caused by a demon but an attack by the Great Empire. The cost of not noticing and overlooking it was significant.

◆◆◆

The demon Chromia is only a magical equipment of the Yama Black Blade. Even if it is annihilated, it can be revived if the Yama Black Blade wishes.

However, a once-annihilated servant-type magical equipment can only be revived near the user. This applies to the Yama Black Blade as well, so it cannot immediately engage in another battle with a new demon Chromia.

Reluctantly, the Truth of All Things and the Yama Black Blade, who were controlling it from a distance, gave up.

"This experiment is over."

"Right. Should we look for the next demon worshiper?"

"No, how about targeting necromancers? This time, I will take the lead."

Achieving immortality through the control of death is what necromancers do.

On the other hand, alchemists are dedicated to extending life. While alchemists generally study material processing and magic imbuing, they also include those who seek the elixir of immortality. There are two types of alchemy: one that literally studies the creation of precious metals from base metals, and one that studies the transformation into an eternal golden life.

This alchemy is recognized by the Demon God Cult.

While the application of necromancy for immortality is not recognized, many necromancers harbor resentment and frustration towards the Demon God Cult. They secretly research in countries strongly influenced by the Demon God Cult to take revenge.

They are so dedicated to the study of necromancy that they are persecuted.

They are people with considerable pride.

With a little provocation, they will dance as expected.

"What do you think?"

"We will reincarnate foolish necromancers as undead. I have heard that the Undead King Xenon Life was once a human who was reincarnated as an undead. With my magic power, interesting monsters will be born."

"Then, what is my role?"

"You will use your servant. If you call yourself a messenger of the underworld, they will be interested. Then, you will impart my knowledge and promote reincarnation through ritual magic."

"How exciting. I'm in."

The two, who awakened at the same time, are good friends. Despite their mismatched appearance of an old man and a girl, it is a trivial matter for the immortal awakened magical equipment users.

The next plan was decided easily.

"Then, we need to find a necromancer who hates the Demon God Cult."

"They also need to have a certain level of skill. I have no intention of giving my knowledge to a failure."

This is the biggest challenge.

Finding hidden necromancers is extremely difficult. They may be quietly researching in a forest where no one visits, or they may have a base in the city.

Finding them in the eastern half of the Slada continent could take an indefinite amount of time.

"I have an idea. We can use necromancers captured by Holy Knights. That way, we can also determine their skill level."

"Indeed. The church will announce their achievements. If they announce the threat posed by the captured necromancers, we won't need to investigate. ...We can have the 'Black Cat' gather information."

"Then, let's go."

The Truth of All Things and the Yama Black Blade began moving for their next plan.