Apostle of the Goddess of War

Chapter 173

Ch.173 Apostle of the Goddess of War

"Serine will attempt mental interference. Having absorbed quite a few fragments, her power is nearly comparable to Eru's."

"Fragments?"

Grind, grind.

Sion asked back while enduring the unpleasant feeling of darkness being injected into his brain.

"Yes. My sisters collected them, and Serine gathered them together."

Sion was slightly flustered. The Church of War had only managed to collect one so far, yet Magoth said Serine had collected five.

"There is nothing to be surprised about. Elim had much to protect and few personnel. Compared to the Empire, the Magic Guild Alliance, and my followers, wasn't Elim's military strength merely the size of a fingernail?"

"Hmm, I cannot deny that."

It was natural if dividing superiority by headcount, territory held, and intelligence capabilities.

Thanks to recruiting Loenhaugter and the legacy left by the Goddess of Light, they could move even a little; otherwise, they would have been no different from the blind even now.

Magoth laughed.

"Your pride must be hurt."

"It's hard to deny."

"From the start, you and Achille were at war. The type to fight and win."

"That is also true."

"You probably didn't think from the beginning that you would take all the Holy Grail Fragments first, did you?"

Magoth was speaking with a calm yet comfortable face.

It was the leisure of one who knew the relationship with Eru was over and had given up on everything. He did not know what would happen in the future, but Magoth accepted it humbly.

"I wanted to if possible, but well, it can't be helped."

Sion replied with a smile. But it was also true that he was heated. They were far more thorough and cunning.

'Moreover, the fact that Magoth and Serine joined hands was an unexpected variable.'

Originally, the power structure was a four-way battle. With the two largest forces joining hands, the tide of battle had completely tipped. It was an unforeseen catastrophe that could not be dealt with.

'But I must overcome this too.'

A commander on the battlefield cannot always fight only advantageous battles.

Even when pushed on the defensive, even when lacking military strength and resources, one must find a breakthrough somehow.

The Goddess of War's holy knight enjoyed this situation.

"Why are you snickering like that?"

"Just because. It's fun."

"Fun, you say?"

"This terribly difficult and disadvantageous front line."

Magoth stared at Sion for a moment before clicking his tongue.

"As an Apostle of War, you are also a strange child. I don't know if you became an apostle because you are such a human, or if you were influenced by Achille."

Sion liked hearing this. He believed that showing joy at resembling the Goddess he served was true faith.

Grind.

Magoth pulled out her finger. Black viscous fluid flowed from Sion's temple.

"Ugh."

Sion's body shivered. It felt unpleasant. He also felt a strange thrill.

An unfamiliar impure energy invaded his body. However, it wasn't a particularly bad feeling. It was the feeling itself of receiving an Evil God's power.

It felt as though he would corrupt, but the power itself was attractive, so the resistance wasn't extreme.

'Is it because Lady Magoth isn't as evil as before?'

Sion asked after thinking.

"What… is this exactly?"

Sion looked at Magoth to gauge his reaction. Magoth's complexion turned pale rapidly.

"Listen well. Standard-bearer of Achille."

"……Yes."

"There is only one chance. Contact Serine and attempt conversation. And, when that creature tries to dominate you."

Magoth gasped heavily and finished her words.

"I will step in."

"I don't know what it is, but I will seize the chance."

Magoth smiled kindly.

"You are reliable, just like a Goddess of War's apostle."

Magoth slumped. She buried her head in her knees and closed her eyes for a moment.

"You aren't dying like this, are you?"

"Not from this much. What do you take me for?"

"A crybaby Evil God?"

"Go."

"Yes."

"When everything is over—"

Magoth stopped Sion, who was truly about to turn away. Sion listened to Magoth's words.

"Tell me again what Eru said."

Eru also conveyed separate words she couldn't say during the conversation with Sion. They didn't actually converse, but Eru's message to all Goddesses was in Sion's head.

"I will do so."

***

Sion left the port of Foils where light was shining.

There were no people on the streets. Thanks to the Goddess of Abundance using her power. True to a Goddess of Gold omnipotence, she offered gold and caused various miracles.

Lady Goldina was a unique Goddess who even made Eru marvel.

'Thanks to her, no people died. That's a relief.'

Sion settled in an appropriate open space. He felt the power left behind by Goddess Achille fully.

'Let's move to Elim in one go.'

He felt even now that a fight was happening in the distance. It was the biggest war Sion had experienced.

'Elim is surrounded.'

It wasn't on the scale experienced until now. It was truly a scene of violence where blood was shed and one side was trampled until submission.

Sion felt a chill run down his spine.

Despite resisting and fighting so fervently, it was ultimately a catastrophe again. The end of war is always desolate, leaving only ash.

'I won't let Elim become like that.'

Sion recalled his burned-down house and family. He brought out the heartbreaking trauma buried in the back of his memory and steeled his resolve.

Even if it means massacring the other side, I want to protect my people. Sion's wish was cruel and cold.

'But seeing blood might not be the best option.'

Sion agonized.

He recalled the words about the strongest sword the Goddess of War desired.

And he organized his thoughts through the fights, experiences, and conversations with other existences he had until now.

'Ultimately, true peace is merely an illusion too.'

Even under the warm praise of the Goddess of Light.

Even under the fear of the Evil God of Darkness.

Violence, oppression, and conflict still occur.

Civilization and institutionalization are merely shells packaging the logic of power.

No matter how much humans civilization and escape barbarism, what governs humans is the logic of power. Worshipping Goddesses is also the logic of power, and accumulating wealth is also the logic of power.

'Everything works through power.'

Only the form and color differ….

"Hoo."

Sion regulated his breathing and bent his legs. He bent one knee and placed both hands on the ground.

It was a jumping stance ready to soar into the air at any moment.

In that state, Sion reached a conclusion.

'The strongest sword.'

The ideal Achille sought was literally the logic of overwhelming power.

Violence that disturbs the world is crushed by greater violence.

The fact that looking up makes one's neck fly off must be engraved in bone and blood and passed down for generations.

It's okay to be cursed.

It's okay to remain a tyrant.

Being pointed at actually feels good.

As long as people don't suffer because of it.

If only this endless war and blood can be stopped.

'I don't want to see any more blood.'

This isn't a perfect method either.

Side effects will surely occur.

'But this is the best option for now.'

Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble…!

The ground vibrates. Small stones popped like roasting beans. The atmosphere flowed like a whirlwind centered on Sion. His black cloak fluttered like wings.

Boom— Bang!

A large crack formed from the epicenter as Sion leaped. Borrowing the power of the stars through Achille's power. He soared vigorously toward the sky.

And he received another power from the epic of feats born from fighting the Evil God of Darkness.

Space movement.

Levitation.

And intimidation.

The Apostle of War's power finally reached the sky.

A holy knight truly transcending humans began flying across the sky of Foils toward Elim.

***

The sky of Elim burned red.

The land where the Goddess of War's blessing had been pouring down was now covered in blood, smoke, and broken debris.

It was also because Eru's light had not yet fully reached.

The city was surrounded by a massive army, and the ranks of the Imperial Army were laid out on the hills on all sides.

Red flags waved.

Spear units lined up in a row continued endlessly, and ahead, enemy cavalry called the Emperor's messengers were on standby.

Black patterns were engraved on their armor. 「Punishment of the Celestials」. The Empire's new ideology.

The Imperial Knight at the vanguard shouted.

"Burn Elim!"

"Condemn them in the name of the new Supreme Goddess!"

Cheers tore the sky.

Cheers tore the sky.

Behind them, Serine's forces were entangled.

A sobbing sound of water spread over the land, and huge blue spirits rose above the sky's surface reflecting the light.

Serine was now an existence that could no longer be called a Goddess.

Her power of water had changed from purification to erosion, and the skin of the soldiers she led was half materialized.

They flowed, and flowed.

An army of water with no fixed form, not cut even when struck by swords, absorbing arrows on the spot. Elim's defense line had already collapsed by more than half.

The defensive wall was full of cracks, and the barrier Emily was holding had already reached its lifespan. The World Tree was also on fire and slowly burning.

War Knights in black armor formed the last defense line.

Behind them, the Priestess and healers, and the citizens of Elim were evacuating.

The believers of Elim trembled in fear.

Despite the Goddess of War protecting them, they only repeated overwhelming defeats.

All they could do was wait for the coming destruction and pray.

'Brother.'

'Brother Sion…… please come quickly.'

'Brother, please.'

And everyone held onto one hope they carried in their hearts. In moments of desperate crisis, there was always someone who protected them.

Just then.

"W-what is it!"

Someone shouted.

In the direction he pointed, a flying object approaching Elim quickly was visible.

Simultaneously, rays of light pushing away the burning sky rushed in. The grace of Eru pouring in like a tide arrived at Elim too.

Boom— Boom!

The shape of air exploding in the sky was clear. The waves repeated and reached the crown of Elim's head.

"Si…."

"Si…."

Someone started to speak but stopped. Everyone looked in the same direction, widened their eyes, and covered their mouths.

"Sion!"

"It is Sir Sion!"

"The Goddess of War's apostle has come!"

"We are saved!"

"Oh, Achille! You have not abandoned us!"

Those whose faith was shaken cried out toward the sky.

The red sky and the blue sky confronted each other. The heavenly light brought by the Apostle of War could no longer push away the red sky.

Sion's pupils captured Serine smiling from a distance. Overwhelming hostility and arrogance seemed to pierce his eyeballs.

'Strong.'

The thought crossed his mind that this is how it would feel if Eru exerted her full power.

[Sion.]

'My Lady.'

Achille spoke to Sion who had arrived.

[Did the conversation go well?]

'Yes. Lady Magoth has surrendered. She also gave me a weapon to defeat Serine.'

[I feel the energy of darkness within you.]

Achille clicked her tongue, saying it wasn't very good.

[That guy Magoth too.]

'There is no other way for now.'

Achille agreed readily. Now was the time to exclude personal emotions to defeat the greatest enemy.

Achille looked at Serine and said,

[She swallowed too many fragments. She is nearly comparable to Eru. Even if I use all my power, I cannot guarantee victory.]

'I have to defeat such an opponent?'

[It would be impossible with force against force. We must find a method, and you are the key to that method.]

Achille believed in Eru, and believed in Sion.

[You are the sword I chose. My apostle.]

'Command me. Goddess Achille.'

Snap.

Achille pointed at the invaders who dyed the land red.

Achille pointed at the invaders who dyed the land red.

[Drive out the puppet that defiled my sanctuary.]

'I will carry out your will.'