Chapter 449: The Chief Overseer Must Have Handled It Well (2)
Everyone wore puzzled expressions at Ereneth’s words.
Right now, the one most actively destroying the Rifts created by the Salvation Church was Ghislain. He had even killed Lavierre, a high-ranking priest, and exposed the Salvation Church's schemes to the world.
And yet, here was this elf, asking what kind of relationship he had with the Salvation Church. It was as if she had lost her mind.
Ghislain twisted his lips into a grin and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
“The energy you use feels similar to that of the Salvation Church.”
Ghislain’s expression, hardened by those words.
He had met Ereneth in his past life. Back then, although she was slightly uneasy around him, she had never been this openly hostile.
There was only one difference from back then.
‘Dark.’
A memory of the time he had killed Lavierre resurfaced.
‘He had been startled when he saw my power.’
When Ghislain unleashed his full might, Lavierre had been utterly shaken. That had made it easy to cut off his head.
At that time, Lavierre had tried to say something to him before he died.
“Hey, there seems to be some kind of misunderstanding...”
Rumble.
As if refusing to listen to a word Ghislain had to say, tree-like vines erupted from the ground and completely wrapped around Ereneth.
Crunch!
Soon, the vines transformed into armor. It wasn’t bulky like a knight’s, but elegantly sculpted to fit her body, accentuating her fluid curves.
It looked as though her entire body had been covered with tree bark.
Crack!
Her face was hidden by a wooden helmet, and stag-like antlers sprouted from her head.
Flash!
A green light began to flicker and glow from her eyes. The same light seeped through the gaps in her armor.
Watching her transformation, Claude, who was being carried away on Wendy’s back, muttered, “That’s so cool. I want one of those.”
“...”
Wendy suppressed the urge to throw him off her back.
While Claude was busy admiring Ereneth, Ghislain’s face grew increasingly emotionless.
‘Damn... she brought out that armor.’
That was the armor she only wore when she fought with all her might. It seemed Ereneth truly believed he was a priest of the Salvation Church.
‘She’s an opponent I can’t win against right now, but...’
Ereneth was a bit different from the other members of the Seven Strongest on the Continent.
Unlike Ghislain and others, who had risen to the rank by fighting against the Rifts and growing stronger, Ereneth had displayed that level of power from the very start. It was even rumored that she was under some kind of restriction, unable to unleash her full strength. Some said she was an elf who had lived for a thousand years.
In other words, Ereneth already possessed immense power, even now.
Recalling this, Ghislain let out a feral grin.
‘The second of the Seven Strongest on the Continent.’
That was the title that referred to Ereneth. The second most powerful being on the continent.
In his past life, he had wanted to fight her. It hadn’t been possible then, and she had left the alliance one day, making it even less likely.
‘Perfect timing. Opportunities like this are rare.’
Although he hadn’t yet regained the full extent of his past life’s abilities, even so, he now possessed something he hadn’t had back then: the amplification granted by Dark.
If this had started as a conversation, he might have tried to explain. But if the opponent wanted a fight, he wasn’t about to back down or make excuses.
“Fighting is always...”
Boom!
Mana erupted from Ghislain like an explosion. His eyes turned crimson, and a dark red energy enveloped his body.
“...about seeing it through. Don’t you think?”
Ereneth flinched and stepped back at the sight of Ghislain, who now resembled a demon.
“You... that form...”
“Let’s see just how strong you really are.”
Bang!
Ghislain vanished, leaving behind a trail of black afterimages.
Wham!
In an instant, Ghislain appeared before Ereneth and swung his aura-infused blade.
But she had already moved behind him. Ghislain quickly turned and raised his sword.
The green light emanating from Ereneth’s hand clashed with Ghislain’s blade.
Crash!
Ghislain was pushed back, his body sliding along the ground.
The spectators were stunned. They had never seen Ghislain pushed back like that, especially in a one-on-one fight.
Recovering his footing, Ghislain launched himself forward again, slashing his sword. But Ereneth evaded lightly and swung her hand once more.
Boom!
Their clash was so fast and intense that it was difficult for anyone to follow. Shockwaves radiated outward, forcing the onlookers to retreat further.
‘As expected, she’s incredible.’
Ghislain barely dodged and blocked her attacks, his thoughts racing. He was reminded yet again of the sheer power wielded by those once known as the Seven Strongest on the Continent.
Did the opponents who had once faced him in his previous life felt the same way? It felt as if a colossal wall had risen to block his path.
However, he too had once stood among the Seven Strongest. The experiences and insights he gained during that time remained intact. No, in fact, he could say that he had reached an even more refined state after his regression.
BOOM!
Even Ereneth, who had been facing him, showed signs of momentary surprise.
“What in the world…?”
Fighting him, she realized he was undoubtedly stronger than most superhumans. Yet, his abilities seemed to fall within the realm she could manage.
At first, that was what she thought. But her opponent’s strange movements carried a depth of understanding that far exceeded her expectations.
‘He’s not riding the flow; he’s forcing his way against it. It’s a devastatingly destructive and practical power!’
This made no sense. To achieve such movements, he should be far stronger than he was now. It seemed as if his body couldn’t fully keep up with the understanding he had gained.
CRACK!
“Ugh!”
Lost in thought for just a moment, she almost failed to notice him. His attacks came relentlessly, aimed squarely at her vital points with the clear intent to kill.
But Ereneth, too, was a seasoned warrior who had endured countless battles. She had faced massive wars that her opponent couldn’t even begin to imagine.
“You fight like a beast!”
Ereneth dodged and counterattacked.
BOOM!
Ghislain was pushed back by the impact, clicking his tongue internally.
‘She’s definitely different from other elves.’
It wasn’t just her sheer strength; her techniques were equally exceptional.
The spectators, watching the clash, couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Ghislain, whom they thought of as the strongest, was being pushed back by an elf—a race often regarded as subservient.
For the first time, the thought crossed their minds: At this rate, could he actually lose?
BOOM!
The two clashed again and pulled back momentarily. Just then, a voice rang out.
“Stop this at once!”
As the fight grew increasingly intense, Vanessa couldn’t stay silent any longer. She stepped forward and extended her hand, pouring an overwhelming amount of mana into her spell after witnessing Ereneth’s immense power.
FLASH!
From the sky, a bolt of lightning streaked down toward Ereneth.
BOOM!
Ereneth’s legs buckled slightly from the shock, but that was all. To everyone’s astonishment, she had endured the magical strike as if it were nothing.
Vanessa frowned, biting her lip.
‘That armor…’
No matter how strong someone was, there was no way they could take a direct hit like that unscathed. She could feel it—the armor had absorbed the energy at the moment of impact.
“Stop!”
Others could no longer stand idly by. The elves who had accompanied Ereneth were already surrounded.
If the skilled fighters present launched their attacks, the elves would be slaughtered in an instant.
Ereneth slowly lowered her hands and straightened her posture. She glanced at the encircled elves before fixing her gaze on Ghislain.
A cold voice slipped from her lips.
“For the greater cause, sacrifices are inevitable. You will tell me everything you know. Don’t even think of trying to run.”
Her demeanor was nothing like the harmonious and peace-loving image of an elf. It was evident that she was prepared to press forward no matter how many sacrifices it required for her conviction.
No, calling it mere conviction didn’t suffice. There was a hint of obsession in her attitude.
The observers had no choice, but to revise their understanding of elves.
‘So, the elegant and noble elves are just fantasy after all.’
‘I should’ve realized it after seeing how Ascon behaves.’
‘Why do we always end up with elves like them?’
Ghislain responded to Ereneth’s rigid demeanor with a twisted smile.
‘I can’t expand my cores yet.’
In his days as the King of Mercenaries, he had reached the stage of creating five cores. To face Ereneth, he would need that level of strength.
But it was still too soon for him to form two cores simultaneously.
He could form one, but the fourth and fifth cores had to be created at the same time. Only then could perfect balance be achieved.
Ultimately, to rival Ereneth’s strength, he needed to draw upon a far more dangerous power.
Ghislain reached out to the consciousness of Dark.
‘Amplify it further.’
― “A-Are you insane…? Here, of all places?!”
‘Just do it!’
― "If you die, don’t blame me!"
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Ghislain’s bones and muscles began twisting and contorting.
Through his relentless training, he had grown far stronger than when he first acquired Dark. The power he could wield through amplification now surpassed what it had been before.
Even if it was only for a moment, he intended to shock Ereneth to her core.
Rooooaar!
The black smoke shrouding Ghislain grew thicker and began to blaze fiercely.
Sensing his sudden surge in strength, Ereneth instinctively drew upon more of nature’s energy.
“As expected, a truly ominous aura.”
RUMBLE!
The ground quaked violently, the sheer intensity of their powers twisting the space around them.
Terrified, the spectators retreated even further. Even the elves who had accompanied Ereneth were no exception.
Only Belinda, Gillian, Vanessa, and Tennant remained crouched low, poised to strike if an opening presented itself to attack Ereneth.
Boom!
The two locked eyes, and with an explosion of power, they charged at each other.
Ghislain’s massive aura blade swept through the air, while a radiant green flash burst forth from Ereneth’s hand.
But just then, someone suddenly intervened between the two.
“What the—!”
“Hah!”
Both Ghislain and Ereneth were taken aback, but with all their strength already unleashed, neither could fully pull back their attacks.
BOOOOM!
A powerful shockwave erupted, carving a deep crater into the ground. Yet, the person caught in the middle emerged completely unscathed.
Ereneth stared at the individual blocking her path with a look of disbelief.
“To withstand that? Divine power… Could it be the goddess’ blessing?”
The person who had stopped them radiated a tremendous divine aura, their silver hair gleaming brightly.
Piote turned to Ereneth and shouted loudly.
“Stop this! My lord has nothing to do with the Salvation Church! On the contrary, he’s been saving people from them! Otherwise, why would he be sealing the Rifts?”
He then turned toward Ghislain and spoke.
“This woman isn’t a bad person. I’m sure there’s been a misunderstanding. I can feel it.”
Piote was a priest favored by the goddess, capable of sensing dark energy more keenly than anyone else.
To him, Ereneth appeared as pure as nature itself.
If someone like Claude or Alfoi was akin to muddy water, this elf shone with a brilliance born from her righteous convictions.
Hearing Piote’s words, Ghislain let out a faint chuckle.
“She attacked me without warning, and you’re calling her a good person?”
“Well…”
Piote glanced back at Ereneth. Her unyielding conviction seemed to make her unwilling to listen to anyone else.
“Honestly… yeah, she’s like a stubborn old-timer. The type who believes only their way is right. That’s the vibe I’m getting. She’s probably lived a very long time, even if she doesn’t look it.”
“……”
After a moment of silence, Ereneth turned to Piote and asked, “I can sense that you are blessed by the goddess. But are you saying that as a priest, you do not feel the ominous darkness emanating from him?”
“That’s not my lord. It’s because of Dark.”
“What?”
“It’s Dark that’s causing it.”
The people of the estate were already aware of Dark’s existence, so they weren’t particularly concerned about the ominous aura around Ghislain.
Ghislain had completely subdued Dark, after all.
But Ereneth, unfamiliar with this fact, tilted her head in confusion.
“What is… Dark?”
“My lord, just show her. Why do you insist on solving everything through violence?”
“She attacked first, you know?”
Ghislain replied with a look of disbelief, while Piote turned back toward Ereneth.
“Why do you insist on solving everything through violence? What kind of elf does that?”
“……”
Ereneth remained silent, bringing her hand to her face.
Swish…
The wood that had been covering Ereneth’s face disappeared. Leaving her armor intact, she revealed her face to Ghislain and said, “Tell me who this Dark fellow is.”
Her imposing aura had diminished significantly. It seemed she couldn’t simply ignore the words of Piote, who radiated divine power.
Ghislain calmed his energy as well. In truth, his excitement had somewhat fizzled out.
Hiss…
The black energy surrounding Ghislain converged into a single point, forming a human-like figure. Dark appeared, opening his mouth to speak.
“I am Dark. I live in the lord’s body. Got any business with me?”
Ereneth paid no mind to Dark’s insolent tone, her sharp gaze fixed on him, analyzing him thoroughly.
“A spirit? No, not an ordinary spirit.”
“That’s right! I’m a Spirit King!”
“……”
For the first time in her life, Ereneth felt utterly dumbfounded.