Chapter 555
You Appeared in My Dream. (1)
‘This place is…’
Ghislain looked around.
Once again, it was a battlefield. The location had changed, but the situation remained the same as in the previous dream.
“Waaaaaahhh!”
An army, similar to the present-day Human Alliance, was fighting against the Riftspawn.
‘They really fought endlessly in the past.’
The same question lingered in his mind.
They had fought so fiercely, so desperately so why was there no record of it?
If even a fragment of this battle had been documented, humanity wouldn’t have suffered as much before his regression.
He couldn’t trust this dream completely, but Berhem’s words about erased history kept bothering him.
— “There is nothing. Absolutely nothing. They say the people of that time erased all records on purpose.”
He didn’t know if this war was connected, but it was clear that Ritania’s founding records had been deliberately wiped out.
Even the king himself had no knowledge of why the Shadow Knights and the Duke of Delfine’s house held such immense power.
If this dream was real, then the records of this war were likely erased by those in power.
Ghislain surveyed the battlefield. As expected, the Saintess he had seen last time was present once again.
Seeing her brought Berhem’s words back to mind.
— “That necklace… it belonged to the one known as the ‘First Saintess.’ The Saintess who is loved by all the goddesses.”
‘The First Saintess.’
The claim that she had received the love of all goddesses seemed credible. After all, he had witnessed her miracles firsthand.
— “The Founder King… was said to have been her servant.”
‘Servant.’
That meant that among those serving the Saintess right now, the Founder King of Ritania was present.
It would explain why he inherited her necklace and kept it as the royal family's greatest treasure.
Ghislain shook off his thoughts and focused on the scene before him.
‘I don’t understand any of this.’
Everything was fragmented disjointed pieces of information. He wasn’t even sure if there was a connection between them.
No, he couldn’t even be certain if this dream reflected reality.
But since the dream kept showing him something, he had no choice but to unravel it one step at a time.
“Waaaaaahhh!”
“Push them back!”
“We can win this time too!”
Every time he saw them, he felt the same these warriors were unbelievably strong. They overwhelmed the monsters with sheer force.
In Ghislain’s time, the Salvation Church’s schemes had thrown the entire continent into chaos and division.
But in this dream, that wasn’t the case.
Humanity had united as one to fight against the Riftspawn.
Kaaang!
Even the mighty Equidema couldn’t withstand the power of a unified humanity.
Even the overwhelming forces of the Riftspawn failed to break through the human army.
At the heart of this miraculous battle stood the Saintess.
Once again, she closed her eyes and began to pray.
“...Hear the voice of your faithful servant. Protect and guide our warriors in this perilous battlefield.”
Fwaaaaaaah!
The sky split open, pouring down radiant light. The light scattered and spread, granting the Allied Human Army an astonishing power.
“By Your grace, imbue strength into our swords.”
A luminous aura burst forth from the swords of all the soldiers.
“Fortify our shields with Your divine light.”
A sacred glow enveloped every soldier's shield.
“Make our steps lighter, so we may evade the enemy’s attacks.”
A faint, ethereal light began to swirl around each soldier’s body.
It was a miracle beyond belief, no matter how many times one witnessed it. The Saintess, alone, had blessed an army numbering in the hundreds of thousands.
Ghislain let out a scoffing chuckle inwardly. Channeling, a phenomenon deemed miraculous, was something that came so easily to that Saintess.
“Waaaaahhh!”
The soldiers’ morale soared to unprecedented heights. It was all thanks to the Saintess’ power.
At this rate, the Riftspawn would once again be pushed back and annihilated. A war genius like Ghislain could tell at a glance.
Kraaaah!
As expected, despite their overwhelming numbers, the Riftspawn were being utterly overpowered. Everywhere, the superhumans of the Allied Human Army were cutting down Equidema.
But war was a hell where one could never predict what variables might emerge.
Kwaaaaaah!
Suddenly, a surge of black energy swept over the battlefield, devouring the earth as it spread.
Thick black clouds billowed furiously, resembling an advancing horde of demons.
The ominous energy rushed across the battlefield, as if seeking to consume the radiant light the Saintess had spread.
Fwaaaaaaah!
Light and darkness collided. Neither force yielded an inch.
As darkness veiled half the sky, the monsters regained their strength. Incredibly, they had been empowered by the black energy, growing even stronger.
Even so, humanity still held the advantage. They continued to push the monsters back.
And then—
Paaah!
From within the darkness, hundreds of figures clad in black robes suddenly emerged.
Ghislain’s gaze sharpened at the sight.
Salvation Church.
Black robes, black energy. And beneath those robes, barely visible markings black sun tattoos etched onto the backs of their hands and their necks. Their identity was unmistakable.
The Salvation Church had already been active at this point in time.
So, they’re not just some mere cult.
It was no wonder Ereneth had a deep enmity toward them.
That only made him more curious. Exactly how far back in the past is this?
There were rumors that Ereneth was an elf who had lived for over a thousand years.
Could this truly be an event from a millennium ago?
That makes no sense.
Even for an elf, a lifespan of a thousand years was absurd. Living even half of that would already be considered a long life.
Ghislain’s thoughts didn’t last long.
Kwaaaaang!
As the priests of the Salvation Church intervened, the Human Alliance began to be pushed back.
The priests were truly powerful. Among them, one stood out as particularly special.
The priest who had emerged at the very center.
“All Inquisitors, do not stop! Keep pressing forward! I will capture the Saintess myself.”
A black aura coiled around his entire body, and his crimson eyes glowed ominously.
Kwaaaang!
He became a streak of light, piercing through the formation of the Human Alliance. No one could stop him.
Seeing him, every soldier of the Human Alliance roared, their fighting spirit ignited.
“The Adversary has come!”
“Stop him!”
“Protect the Saintess!”
Despite witnessing his overwhelming power, the Human Alliance did not falter. Instead, their eyes burned with a crazed determination as they threw themselves at him to kill him.
“Kill him!”
“We must stop him at all costs!”
“Waaaaaaah!”
But the priest known as the Adversary was far too strong.
“Insects.”
Kwaaaaaaang!
Like a black storm, he tore through everything in his path, unstoppable.
Ghislain narrowed his eyes as he watched him.
‘That bastard…’
It was unpleasant. To an outsider, the sight of the priest using his power would be indistinguishable from Ghislain when he amplified himself.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaaang!
The Human Alliance soldiers who charged at the Adversary were ripped apart one by one. In an instant, a massive hole had been torn into their formation.
The storm pressed forward without hesitation, paying no mind to anything around it. His only target seemed to be the Saintess, who stood behind the ranks, radiating light.
An unbelievable level of power.
Even the knights of the Human Alliance, armed with immense divine strength, fell in vain.
But the Human Alliance was not to be underestimated. They quickly reorganized their formation, using the sacrifices of the fallen as a foundation, and once again blocked the path to the Saintess.
With one heart, they all cried out again.
“Protect the Saintess!”
Kwaaaaaang!
Yet, despite their determination, their formation collapsed in an instant. No one could stop the priest who had become a black storm.
At that moment, the Dwarf King, who had been fighting on the right flank, slammed his halberd into the ground.
Krrrrrrung!
The earth trembled as an earthquake erupted, toppling both the monstrous creatures and the priests that had been charging forward.
The Dwarf King turned toward the black storm and roared.
“―――!”
Ghislain couldn’t hear what he was saying clearly.
Meanwhile, on the left flank, Ereneth summoned massive high-ranking spirits.
Kwaaaaaaa!
The spirits intercepted the approaching monsters and priests.
Seizing the opening, she pulled out her ultimate weapon the Elven Serenade.
Paaaaaaat!
A massive arrow radiating green light shot toward the black storm.
For the first time, the black storm, which had been advancing unchallenged, halted as if unable to ignore its power.
“Hmph.”
As he exhaled more energy, darkness spread around him, forming a colossal barrier before him.
Kwaaaaaang!
The arrow struck the barrier and vanished. Though the barrier dissipated, the priest remained unscathed.
Other superhumans hurled spells and swung their swords at him, but he effortlessly deflected or evaded every attack.
He did not belong in a battle against ordinary warriors.
He had only one goal.
Kwaaaaaang!
Once more, he became a storm and shot toward the Saintess. No obstruction could hinder him.
There were hardly any forces left in his way now.
It was an astonishing display of power. Even Ghislain in his current state could not break through like that. Even Julien in his prime, when he was known as the Continent’s Strongest Swordsman, would not have been able to accomplish such a feat.
The priest’s strength was beyond extraordinary.
Realizing her attack had failed, Ereneth shouted loudly.
“―――!”
Once again, Ghislain couldn’t hear her. He could hear other shouts and conversations clearly, yet certain voices were inexplicably inaudible.
The Saintess, who had been praying with her eyes closed, opened them. The priest had already reached her.
The surrounding forces hesitated to approach. A priest of the Salvation Church now stood directly before the Saintess.
Glancing around briefly, the priest spoke.
“It has been a long time, Saintess.”
“……”
“I failed last time, but today, I will surely kill you.”
The Saintess slowly opened her lips.
“To meet once again the Adversary of the Goddess, the traitor of humanity.”
“I am merely the Church’s first servant, the one who longs for a new world, and the savior of the forsaken.”
“But your soul shall never be saved.”
“I only follow the will of the god I believe in.”
The priest raised his hand. If he struck now, the Saintess would be torn apart.
Yet, her expression remained serene. How strong must her will be to remain so composed beneath that ordinary appearance?
The priest’s crimson eyes gleamed. He did not like what he saw.
“This is the end, Saintess. You will never reach the Holy Land.”
As he finished speaking, he swung his hand downward. The knights nearby rushed in, but it was already too late.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
A massive explosion of energy erupted, sending light and darkness scattering in all directions.
The priest’s hand, shrouded in black energy, had been blocked by someone’s sword.
The dark energy writhed furiously, as if enraged.
“You…”
A man had suddenly appeared and stopped the priest’s attack.
His face was flawless, as though sculpted by the divine with utmost devotion.
His blue hair, carrying the hues of a clear sky and the deep sea, seemed to embody his boundless passion.
His eyes resembled a night sky where the stars danced. Within his azure pupils, the flames of unwavering courage burned brightly.
A confident smile graced his lips. Within that smile lay a firm resolve to save the world a glimmer of hope.
If a legendary hero truly existed, he would look exactly like this.
Every person who saw him erupted in a deafening cheer.
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
The Dwarf King roared with laughter and struck the ground multiple times with his halberd.
Ereneth, too, beamed with joy at the sight of the newcomer.
The other superhumans were the same. Despite the dire situation, they all wore smiles.
It was a reaction that could only be shown if they held an unshakable belief that this man’s arrival meant victory.
His mere presence filled everyone’s hearts with courage and hope, spreading confidence that they could overcome any adversity.
But Ghislain could not smile. Instead, he struggled to suppress his rising confusion.
Because the man who had just appeared was someone he knew very well.
‘What is this…? Why is he here…?’
A face that could never exist in the past.
No, it couldn’t be.
It had to be a mistake.
He was just someone who looked similar.
If he looked closely, there were many differences.
His hair was not such a dazzling, fiery blue it had been black, reminiscent of the veil of night.
His face had never been so expressive. It had always been devoid of emotion, like cold marble.
His eyes had never gleamed like bright stars. Within his pupils had always lain only a deep, unfathomable abyss.
But… no matter how he looked at him, the resemblance was undeniable.
And so, before he could stop himself, Ghislain whispered a name.
“…Julien.”
Flash.
The moment he uttered that name, Ghislain’s dream shattered.