Feeling a sense of danger, Camille drew her sword. From the far side of the ruins, the dust seem to be settling.
Then, she barely had time to lift her sword before an attack suddenly fell upon her.
The sound of swords clashing echoed.
Camilleâs body reeled then slipped over. She clutched her shaking right hand and hurriedly looked up.
With a dagger in his hand, a boy had landed in front of her with a look of displeasure.
Sweat started to appear on Camilleâs forehead upon realising that she hadnât felt his presence nor his movement.
If it wasnât for âgraceâ and her prowess in quick draw, she wouldnât of been able to stop his attack.
âAs expected. I thought it wouldnât be easy. Theyâve assigned a decent guard to himâŠâŠâ
Juan grumbled in annoyance. Camille was now certain that he had come to assassinate Bishop Rieto.
She never expected a boy to have come, but she was now aware that he wasnât an opponent that she should underestimate.
âWho are you? A Hugin knight?â
âIs that important?â
It wasnât important. The important thing was that whoever showed their sword to a Paladin was immediately sentenced to execution.
On top of that, Bishop Rieto was behind Camille. Camille retook her stance.
Juan lowered himself and surveyed the surrounding. He saw an unexpected face. Sina Solbein. She was looking at Juan with a panicked face. But seeing as she was detained, it looked like she wouldnât cause any harm or be of use to him.
âAlive, as expected.â
Bishop Rieto was behind Camille. At the start, he had been glimpsing at Juan, but now his attention was focused elsewhere.
He was continuing to spit out prayers with his unpleasant voice. The Hugin knights would only stand a chance if Juan managed to shut him up.
âNot an opponent that can be defeated swiftlyâŠ..â
Juan stared hard at Camille.
She wasnât on Ethanâs level but she was considerably skilled. Her quickness with her sword was as fast or faster than Ethan.
Camille was also judging the situation the same as Juan. At first, she couldnât believe the speed that Juan had shown on his attack.
Because of this, for a while the two were only mutually eyeing each other.
âI wonât get many opportunities.â
Juan struck out first. He was toying with a stone on the ground with his foot before releasing himself at Camille by using blink.
Camille, who had been staring down at him, quickly swung her sword at Juanâs strike but suddenly she found specks of stone particles sprayed at her eyes.
The moment her eyes closed to avoid it, Juan found his opening. At her arm.
He didnât miss the chance.
His sword cut into her shoulders and moved down her arm like a snake. Blood bursted out from Camilleâs arm.
âKeeukâŠ.!â
As he finished his cut, Juan fluidly made his move towards Rieto.
Then a sharp pain erupted from his calves. The world turned upside down as he fell down on his back.
Juan quickly attempted to cover his head with his arms, but his head was ringing.
He rolled his body and quickly got away from Camilleâs range.
As if his head had been cut, blood was flowing down.
With a bleeding arm, Camille stood still ready to defend Rieto.
Her arm had already started to heal itself. Juan checked the stiletto rooted in his leg.
âTaking the opportunity to stab the stiletto into my leg when Iâm moving slower during the cutâŠ.â
âI guessed that youâd be slower and I was right. Couldnât miss the opportunity you see.â
Sheâd calculated this from the moment the bits of stone were thrown at her eyes. Her injuries would heal from Rieto, so she didnât need to worry about that.
It was a different way of fighting compared to Ethan who fought back with authority and power.
Juan clicked his tongue. She had a good sense of judgment and awareness.
On the other hand, it would take some time for him to recover his strength.
Juan kicked the ground, waiting for his leg to heal back up. His physical body was due to heal as long as he had sufficient mana, but not at the same rate as Camille.
Juan thought Camille could go full on offensive seeing Juan still injured. However, Camille didnât move an inch from Bishop Rietoâs side.
âKnows her priorities, huh.â
Juan thought about attacking once more, but it looked difficult to take down Camille who was receiving the full benefits of Rietoâs blessing. With time, it may be possible but even now, the Hugin knights were dying one by one. Time wasnât on his side.
*****
Then unexpectedly, Bishop Rietoâs prayers stopped. Rietoâs twinkling eyes looked hard towards the eastern sky.
âHeâs coming.â
Camille and Juanâs gaze turned towards Rieto. It was the first words heâd spoken since heâd furiously started praying. Camille asked in a worried tone.
âBishop Rieto nim?â
âThe devil is coming! The one who rules over death!â
Unable to speak, Rieto turned his face left than right then began to mutter out constantly.
At a speed faster than before.
A ear ringing dialect. Camille felt only discomfort at hearing this, but for Juan he could understand what Rieto was spouting, and what âgraceâ he was about to use.
âThis piece of shitâŠâŠâ
Juan quickly rushed at Rieto but was stopped by Camille.
As her sword met his in defence, Juan tried to hop over her.
Camille panicked and grabbed him from getting away. Suddenly entangled, the two fell and rolled on the ground like a ball.
Juan totteringly moved away from Camille.
âDid you think you could get past me?â
âIf we donât shut that guyâs mouth now, everyone will die.â
Juan pointed at Bishop Rieto with a distorted face.
Camille flinched and then turned to look at Rieto. Since heâd started a new prayer, everything around him had changed.
A light wind was blowing while at the same time, cumulonimbus clouds that could even blot out the sun were forming. Even though Camille could feel something wrong, she didnât back off.
âIf you know what that crazy bastard is trying to summon, then I guarantee you that youâll be the one slitting his throat right nowâŠ.. Back off this instance!â
Even through Juanâs growling, Camille calmly held up her sword.
âDo you think Iâd doubt a chief servant of the emperor over words of a heretic? Do not try to deceive me, you despicable fool.â
âThe thing that this bastard is summoning is a monster called, Kelagrenon. Maybe you know it as Mananen Maclirâs personal dog. If summoned, it will absorb all the mana in the surrounding area. And if that happens, you and your Paladins would be the first to die.â
Camilleâs eyes flickered in distrust.
âYou mean the emperorâs beast? The one from the stories? Even if youâre right, why would an emperorâs beast have any reason to harm your kind?â
âBecause, the emperor swallowed Mananen Maclirâs heart! So the Kelagrenon is dependent on the emperorâs mana! After that crazy bishop is killed, youâll have an out of control Kelagrenon rampaging through Hiveden! All the more, while stuck inside the emperorâs foot!â
It was a monster that needed someone on the caliber of Mananen Maclir to have any chance against it.
When he was emperor, heâd only ever summoned it once as the side effects could be unexpected outside Juanâs area of authority. Summoning Kelagrenon meant that one was going to eradicate every living being in an area. Not a single seed of life nor insect remained in an area after a starving Kelagrenon had rampaged.
Hiveden would perish.
But Camilleâs expression was still full of suspicion and it seemed like she didnât seem to want to back off.
Juan was getting nervous. If Kelagrenon were to appear, it would be too late.
They could hold it off for a while, but many including Lars wouldnât be able to escape death.
Juan, who had his body materialised through mana, was also in somewhat danger.
âItâs a gamble, butâŠâŠ.â
There wasnât much time.
Juan went straight at Camille. Moving in a skillful fashion, Camille blocked his attack. Juan stumbled back then ran at her once more.
Camille was wary of why he was throwing these obvious and simple attacks, but nonetheless she continued to trace Juanâs movement to counteract him.
But then, Juan jumped up high. He took a deep long breath. His chest inflated.
He didnât know whether this would work.
But it had worked for Sina Solbein.
âI say this under my name, Juan Kalberk Kenosis!â
*****
A ground shivering voice was echoed throughout Hiveden area.
At the same time, Juanâs voice, his will, his power evaded the minds of every ear in the city.
Juan could feel an immense amount of pain as he connected himself to every mind in the city.
The dying men and scared children, the angry knightsâŠ.. They were all inside Juan as Juan was inside all of them.
Including Bishop Rieto.
Juan concentrated as hard as he could on the mind of Bishop Rieto even as he felt a soul ripping pain enter his mind, while doing this.
Juan whoâd invaded Bishop Rietoâs mind could not help but be dumbstruck at what he discovered.
The world in his mind was broken like a telescope. All things were fragmented and shriveled.
Everything was only viewable from one side, and there was no light nor shade. It would be hard to keep a sane mind for anyone that viewed the world in this light.
Juan saw the broken sky above. A large crack split the sky into two. From between the crack, black tar was dropping down.
The enormous crack that was ripping up the world in his mind was coming from the north.
A giant fissure.
Juanâs eyes flickered in flames upon seeing this fissure.
âKeeukâŠ.!â
Juan felt a head shattering pain as he came back into his usual mind.
His body fell onto the ground. He had only but briefly entered Rietoâs mind.
But since then, a silence had descended upon Hiveden.
Juan spewed out blood onto the ground. Heâd voiced out too loud when his weak body wasnât able to take it. His organs had been injured.
He tried to muster up some strength into his legs but his legs didnât listen.
Instead of attacking, Camille looked on with a face of disbelief.
âWhat, on earthâŠ..â
âFigures. Different from when I said it to only Sina alone.â
This amount of strength had been required to invade the mind of Bishop Rieto who was out of his mind.
Looking at Camille, it appeared to have worked to an extent. His voice had shocked everyone, especially Paladins and Priests.
Juan looked at Rieto. He was sitting down on his bottom, looking at Juan with an unconscious like expression.
His prayers had finished. His expression was content, as if he didnât need to pray anymore.
Juan gathered himself before approaching Rieto.
âSt, stop.â
Camille regathered herself and stopped Juan in his tracks.
But unlike previously, her sword was shaking. In that state, she would have a hard time even slicing a scarecrow, but the same applied for Juanâs condition.
Instead of pushing his body too far by drawing his sword, Juan decided to use a little more strength that remained.
âKnight. You are pointing your sword at the one who your soul belongs to.â
It was a feeble voice compared to before, but it was enough to sway Camille who was already disturbed from what happened just before.
Juan walked past Camille and approached Rieto. Camille, Rieto were both mindlessly looking at him. Juan stopped in front of Rieto.
He could see a rosary with his own symbol on his foot.
Juan threw down his dagger at it in one swift motion.
As the rosary shattered and the âemperorâs footâ around the city vanished.
Along with the disappearing âemperors foot, Camille also felt the blessing that was protecting the White crow knights and herself disappear.
Although sheâd realised sheâd failed her mission, there was nothing she could do.
Nothing but only mindlessly stare into Juanâs backside.
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