Chapter 231: The End Of Waiting


    A castle shrouded in a veil of light.


    At the center of the fortress, which stubbornly rejected the invasion of all evil forces, a woman was kneeling on top of a high tower.


    Her sparkling white hair. Her translucent skin that seemed almost see-through. Features so beautiful they seemed carved by the gods.


    But what her face expressed was pain and resignation. And an expression full of fatigue.


    It was only natural.


    She was… ra the Saintess, holding back the advancing horde of chimeras alone.


    For over 300 years.


    That’s right. ra was well aware that she was a lingering thought.


    She knew that her true self had long died, that her soul had turned to ashes without receiving any salvation from anyone, and that… ultimately, her prayers had gone unanswered.


    ra knew all too well.


    It was an impossible feat, but it was possible because ra’s mind was once connected to a transcendent being.


    But, despite knowing everything, despite repeating the same time for 300 years, she still prayed.


    She had grown ustomed to the pain of squeezing out divine power, but not to the despair that carved out her heart.


    And a desperate person always clings to something.


    Although ra herself no longer knew what she wanted, one thing was certain.


    Today, too, she would fall protecting the castle.


    And then she would repeat an endless day. Just as she had done for 300 years.


    ra’s eyelids, which had been closed in prayer, slowly opened.


    Her ss-like eyes, devoid of any vitality, took in the scenery outside the castle walls.


    The endless horde of chimeras that she could see even from a high vantage point.


    She knew. It wasn’t that there had been no reinforcements, but rather that no support had managed to reach here.


    Indeed. Who could prate that many monsters and reach the fortress?


    Even if they did, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t end up like the holy knights who died protecting her.


    Was it the peculiar stench of the chimeras wafting up here, or something else?


    Suppressing the nausea that kept rising, ra closed her eyes again and clutched the medallion she had used since her days as a novice nun.


    She gripped it so tightly that the blood flowing from her hands dripped down the medallion.


    Yet ra did not let go of her sped hands.


    In the midst of all this impossibility, she still had not abandoned her faith. She still hoped for salvation.


    Despite the immense divine power being consumed in real-time, ra recited her prayer softly to recover even a little.


    “Even if the world falls into darkness, the sun will rise again. O righteous light, we praise your name. Illuminate the path with your inner light…”


    <em>Boom!!</em>


    “…ing?”


    A distant roar. ra, who was reciting her prayer, opened her eyes slightly.


    A dazzling disy of magic was smashing the ck masses. Someone hade. They hade here.


    In an event that had never happened before, ra’s frozen heart began to beat again.


    And when she saw the giant lion’s paw descending from the sky, she started jumping up and down in ce.


    “J-Just wait! Victory is ours!!”


    It strangely resembled the appearance of a god.


    <hr>


    A staff was thrust into the open maw of a chimera.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    The sound of sharp fangs breaking echoed.


    The snake-headed one tried to spit out the staff while choking, but… it was a special metal staff made by Faye.


    The magic conductivity was a bit low, but the durability was excellent. Given its jaw structure, it couldn’t break it.


    The chimera sprayed poison from its remaining fang in a frenzy. Of course, it couldn’t prate Helena’s protection spell with the force of a water gun.


    Realizing toote that its judgment was wrong, the chimera swung its thick, hoofed arm.


    But it was already toote.


    “Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt.”


    With repeated thunder spells, the chimera convulsed and copsed, smoke pouring from its mouth.


    One strike used to be enough, but now it takes three or four to kill.


    This was proof that they were getting closer to the fortress where ra was. The strongest ones were positioned at the front to break through the divine barrier set by the Saintess.


    Thus, just in front of the castle gates, arge number of boss-level mid-bosses appeared.


    Of course, since I already shared the strategy, everyone would handle it on their own.


    <em>“Phew…”</em>


    I took a light breath and looked around.


    I didn’t have the luxury to use big spells, but it wasn’t because I was out of strength.


    Helena and Gilbert were leading the charge, performing their tanking roles and clearing the path steadily.


    Iris and Iona were slightly behind, providing fire support to them.


    Ca and Elisha were taking care of the ones attacking from the sides and rear so the others could focus on advancing.


    I was moving between the center and the rear, supporting them.


    Seeing such a bnced party after only being part of extreme firepower-focused parties, the stability was impressive.


    Although the pace slowed a bit after Iona’s Blood Fall lost its effect, considering the level of monsters had increased, the progress was smooth.


    How long had we continued to move forward, maintaining our formation?


    Suddenly, a massive object fell from the sky at high speed.


    “Helena!”


    Seeing it target Helena, who was emitting an unusual divine power, Gilbert swung his greatsword urgently.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    “Ugh.”


    The speed of its fall was so fast that Gilbert’s body sank to his ankles into the ground from the impact.


    However, the defense was sessful. The shield he had set up in advance and the blessings on his armor absorbed most of the damage.


    Thanks to my earlier warning, too.


    “Ho. You managed to block that.”


    The chimera, which looked like a falling rock from the sky, unfurled its curled-up body, delivering a line like a battle gauge.


    Its appearance was bizarre—a mix between a turtle, an armadillo, and perhaps a drake.


    The most noticeable feature was its dense, bumpy carapace covering its entire body.


    At first nce, it looked heavy, but it was intricately designed not to hinder its movements.


    Moreover, its hardness was unmatched by any other chimera.


    Unlike the chimeras pieced together with mismatched parts, this one seemed naturally formed, as if it had always been this way.


    It wasn’t a mass-produced creature. It was a masterpiece perfected by fallen alchemists.


    This chimera was the leader of the horde. Tarasque.


    Of course, considering the ruckus it made charging from the rear, it was obvious.


    The previous attack involved jumping high from afar, reaching a certain altitude, and then bombing down using the unique characteristics of Cassis Valley.


    …Even at a nce, it was clear that this tricky attack was tailored for Cassis Valley. Tarasque was created solely for this purpose.


    Its carapace was harder than mithril, and its leg muscles were strangely powerful and delicate. Outside of Cassis Valley, it was of little use, but inside the valley, it was an invincible chimera.


    “What are these shiny bastards doing here? Among the reinforcements so far, you are the most impressive… but you’re a bitte.”


    Tarasque grinned, and behind it, five chimeras appeared, distinctly different from the others in appearance.


    Each one was a special entity, crafted with care, though not to Tarasque’s level.


    They were the mid-bosses, the lieutenants under Tarasque.


    As they appeared, the chimeras that had been charging madly retreated, as if awaiting orders or not wanting to interrupt Tarasque’s conversation.


    Tarasque spread its arms wide and continued.


    “Your kind has been crushed, leaving only one. Thest one won’tst long, either. But you will have to face me first.”


    It shrugged, pointing to the fortress behind. Tarasque was indeed the one who had killed most of the holy knights guarding ra.


    Imagine receiving that drop attack after days of continuous battles in a chaotic situation.


    Even a high-ranking holy knight would be dead or critically injured.


    However, I could onlyugh. It boasted of being invincible in this narrow valley but was sealed in the dungeon for 300 years, not even able to defy its rules.


    Monsters with strong mental power or high intrinsic value could resist dungeon rules to some extent, but Tarasque wasn’t one of them.


    I stepped forward in front of Gilbert and spoke.


    “Well, I don’t think so.”


    “…How insolent. For a lowly being without minimum qualifications to speak before me.”


    “You talk big for a small fry.”


    Of course, I understood what Tarasque meant.


    Nowadays, mid-level magicians could puff out their chest, but during the War of the Gods, my position was a bit ambiguous.


    But I meant it. Tarasque was a gimmick boss.


    It appeared invincible in Cassis Valley, but knowing the strategy, it could be defeated alone.


    “Gilbert, as discussed earlier.”


    “…Are you sure you can handle such a creature alone?”


    Gilbert, who had taken Tarasque’s attack, asked worriedly, and I shrugged.


    “Of course. Don’t worry about me. Just take care of Ca and Elisha.”


    “Understood.”


    Gilbert stepped back with a worried look. Seeing this, Tarasque’s eyebrows twitched.


    “You… are not sane. If you wish to die so badly…”


    “Enough.”


    Interrupting Tarasque’s words, I pointed the staff in my left hand at it.


    With a smirk, I flicked my wrist.


    “Come on. It won’t even take a second to defeat you…!”


    As I delivered a line I had always wanted to say, Tarasque grew furious.


    “Why, you!”


    Tarasque lunged forward, preparing for a charge using its leg strength.


    Fast and powerful, but unable to change direction mid-charge, it was perfect for a counterattack.


    Confirming that the others were engaging the mid-bosses, I gathered my mana.


    As the battle, which had paused briefly, was about to resume…


    <em>Fwoosh!!</em>


    Suddenly, spears of light fell from the sky.


    Keeping my guard up against Tarasque, I looked up. Dozens of divine spears floated in the air.


    And from the fortress, a pure white woman emerged.


    Seeing her face, my mouth fell open.


    …Why is my sister here?