276. Test of Souls
Qualifications.
This was a test of one’s qualifications to have power, but on the other hand, one had to be able to prove that one does not use that power.
In short, can we protect souls from being used for malicious purposes and resist temptation?
That was the meaning.
Then, what you need to do first is:
“Khaaa!”
The goal was to defeat Lanhardt, who was recklessly rushing towards us.
“Will you protect us?”
I nod my head at the souls’ requests and pass them by. Suddenly, the spirits surrounding the surroundings rise high into the sky and empty the streets.
It was a signal that they would not participate in this battle.
‘I took on a rather unreasonable role.’
No matter what, I thought it would be too much for me, a necromancer, to stop Lanhardt without even dealing with his soul.
Still, it was my role now to do it.
“Get out of the way!”
Lanhart leaps towards me, who is blocking his path, and raises his fist in the air.
It was a very threatening attack that made a dull wind sound as if it was tearing space just by being swung.
It was difficult to find, even in memory, a being who could create such intimidation with just a punch.
Cow!
The ground rumbles, and the wind and noise collide as if resonating between the two of us, spreading in all directions.
The first attack was blocked with the protection magic created by the dark spirit.
The only one who broke through this was Ruaneth, who became Herald Hazard. No matter how Lanhardt was, he couldn’t destroy the protection magic right away.
Cow!
Cow!
Cow!
However, there was no sign of the onslaught of punches ending, and no matter how strong the wall was, it could not block it forever.
As the attacks came in again and again, the magic gradually began to crack, but I had no means of counterattacking.
For me, that is.
“Tskchaaa!”
Findeneye, who was finally able to run forward as the souls cleared the way, leaped forward and swung the snow at Lanhardt.
Baksul, who was swung in a large trajectory, immediately hit Lanhardt on the shoulder and entered the square.
In reality, Lanhardt was only pushed a few steps and suffered no major injuries, only snoring.
“Is this the end?”
Lanhard taunts Findenai, saying it’s funny. If it had been a normal Finden Eye, it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had furrowed his eyebrows and rushed at me right away.
Stand in front of me with your mouth closed. I was determined to show a loophole and prevent Lanhardt from reaching me.
“I understand that the situation is a bit complicated. “It seems like if I just throw it all away and kill that guy, that’s the end. I understood that correctly, right?”
Findeneye asks, pointing at Lanhardt with her chin. I responded by withdrawing the protection spell again.
“You have to think of yourself as dealing with a guardian deity like Sangun. “We have already surpassed the category of humans.”
“I can tell just by looking at the tail.”
Lanhardt’s tail is heavy and sweeps the floor. What appeared to be a dragon was ready to strike its opponent at any moment.
Darius quietly passes me and walks forward and stands next to Findenai.
“I was in a position to stop hunters who wanted to hunt the guardian spirit. Suddenly, we ended up hunting down the guardian deity.”
Quite a neat arrangement.
It was something I don’t believe Darius said.
Crash.
Deia, who followed Darius and came next to me, also gives magical power to the shotgun and stands next to me.
I suddenly felt like I didn’t want her to get involved, but she probably wouldn’t listen to me even if I said that.
“Souls aren’t helping, are they?”
In response to Deia’s question, I gave her a small nod. Deius Verdi is right behind us, watching us as if examining us.
He just watched us with his colorless, odorless, cloudy eyes.
“It’s a bit too much to ask a necromancer to fight instead of dealing with his soul.”
Deia grumbled for no reason, but she knew there was nothing she could do.
“Is there a way?”
Deia asks briefly.
Findenai and Darius, who formed a wall in front, also had their backs turned, but were listening to me.
“The power of guardian gods begins to weaken rapidly the moment they lose something they originally protected.”
Horua of the Great Forest of Marias was gradually weakening from the moment it gave up ownership of the forest, and in the case of mountain armies, it is possible to attack them by burning the North Weden Mountains.
Guardians are easier to attack than you might think compared to their power.
“But that doesn’t apply to him.”
It’s the same silence, but after saying those words, it strangely becomes heavier.
“You may have swallowed an ancient dragon, but protecting it is probably your own life. In the end, we have to defeat him with our skills.”
“Is it possible?”
I gave an honest answer to Deia, whose expression darkened somewhat as she was thinking of the mountains.
“It’s impossible.”
It is absolutely impossible with the current power. My honest feeling was that I couldn’t win.
No matter how strong Findenai becomes, Darius and Deia help, and even if I am with them.
The weight of beings wearing the name tag ‘God’ was not that light.
“So we need to call support.”
“Support?”
“Push him all the way to the North Swedish Mountains.”
Three people quickly realized what I meant. A strong energy felt in the North Weden Mountains, where spirits were retreating and becoming dizzy.
It was a mountain group.
“We fight in the mountains even if we are forced to do so. “You’re sending a tiger into the war who thinks it’s not his business and is just watching.”
“Ha!”
After hearing what I said, Findeneye stepped forward with a satisfied expression.
“Look at the answer that pops out when you say it’s difficult. “It feels like I’m fighting with the owner.”
Darius and Deia also nodded slightly, as if they agreed with her words.
I wondered what it meant, but it seemed like they had formed a consensus about me while I was away.
“All the other soldiers were bitten. “If you get swept away just because you got involved, it’s just a meaningless death.”
As soon as I said that, Darius waved his hand, and his soldiers quickly retreated.
“The victory conditions are simple. “Just push him out of the city and that’s it.”
“It’s easy to say.”
“Don’t you think it would be great to make it take just a few steps back against that thing?”
Findenai and Darius complained at my words, but their eyes were still focused on Lanhardt.
Lanhardt seemed to be tuning his body by tapping the floor with his tail.
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The sight of it slowly getting bigger and bigger was like adding some kind of clay.
“The method is simple.”
Mana begins to swirl at her fingertips. It was like an engine warming up, ready to fly at any moment.
“Protect me with all your might. “Make sure he can’t reach me.”
Did you think it was random?
The eyes of three people focused on me at the same time.
Protecting myself and pushing Lanhardt out must have seemed like somewhat different feelings.
But that’s the only way we can win.
“Then I will protect everyone with my life.”
Lanhardt found out that he could not break the dark spirit’s protective spell with a single blow.
What I have to do now is assist.
“As long as I stand on the ground, Lanhardt will never be able to reach you.”
It is dangerous to get hit even once by Lanhardt, whose blows are close to lethal.
In particular, Findeneye and Darius, who have to fight in close combat, are likely to lose their lives the moment they make a mistake.
The two men in the front line, realizing the intent of my words, nod their heads and raise their weapons.
But it was the announcement of the start of the war.
Taang!
“Our operation time is over?”
It was Deia’s shotgun.
Of course, the bullet fired through magical power did not even make a scratch on Lanhardt’s skin.
Deia clicks her tongue in disappointment.
The moment Lanhardt’s golden eyes focus on Deia, Darius rushes forward.
“Where are you looking?”
Lanhardt, who had grown to a size comparable to that of Darius, known as the Giant of the North, stretched out his hand without hesitation and blocked his sword.
Kaaang!
I was clearly holding the sword with my hand, but what came out was a noise similar to what you would hear when hitting steel.
Before Lanhardt could react to Darius, this time, he attacked from Findenai, swinging his white sword.
Kaaang!
This time, Lanhart raised his hand to block Baek Seol.
Even though he lost the use of both his hands, he smiled an eerie smile.
“I will destroy all your weapons.”
Wood clack!
The veins in his muscles are prominent and his hands are shaking. The intention is to completely destroy Darius’ treasured sword and Findeneye’s snow white.
The two men urgently tried to take out their weapons, but were powerless in front of Lanhardt’s monstrous power.
However.
Crash.
A thick muzzle hangs over Lanhardt’s face as he loses the use of both his hands.
Taaang!
Deia pulled the trigger without hesitation. Lanhardt’s head jerks back, but his body does not lose strength.
“Stone-headed bastard!”
Taang!
Taang!
Taang!
Deia fires continuously. Even if I could make my vision go back, it didn’t seem to have much effect.
Tuk.
Her inner hand touches her shoulder and her mana flows naturally through to reach her shotgun.
Taaang!
The gunshot rang out longer than ever before.
Lanhardt’s body, which had been arrogantly catching the bullet with his body, suddenly rose and was pushed backwards. Since he lost the weapons he was holding, Finden Ai and Darius immediately rushed forward.
“Once you push, you have to keep pushing! “I’m going to hit you, so you can set the tempo yourself!”
The sight of a maid giving orders to a margrave was somewhat unusual, but anyway.
The two people are immediately striking forward. Deia seemed to feel something strange and trembled, clutching her body.
“I felt connected to you.”
“…… “It’s not wrong, but don’t use that expression in front of Darius.”
“Well, does it feel like something tingling and pleasure is coming?”
“You may have to do it a few more times, so keep your wits about you.”
“I feel like my mana has been violated.”
“… ….”
It seems she was embarrassed when mana suddenly entered her body. Given the power I had just seen, I knew I might have to do it a few more times, so I pushed Deia’s back and stepped forward together.
* * *
Cow!
[What is it?]
A vast, porous castle echoing across the horizon for a long time. The dark spirit master, who flew all the way here without resting at all, tilts his head in puzzlement.
[Why are there so many souls?]
Countless souls cover the skies of North Sweden.
Naturally, as soon as Deius came to mind, the dark spirit became afraid that his plan might have failed.
In downtown North Sweden, there is intense noise and smoke rising as if someone is fighting.
The dark spirit somehow came here and was looking around.
The back of a familiar saint was seen among the souls.
[Stella!]
[Senior?]
Stella immediately turns around at the sound of her voice calling her. The dark spirit urgently approached her and asked.
[What’s going on? Why are there so many souls?]
The dark spirit was hoping for an answer, but Stella also shook her head.
[I was also checking. It seems like he really came back. The situation seems unusual.]
Hearing those words, the dark spirit hesitated for a moment and asked carefully.
[Returning…… It seems right, right?]
Actually, those were the two most important people. Stella nodded her head slightly and responded.
[It will be correct. First, let’s go to downtown North Weden.]
They were two people who wanted to go to North Wales together.
[But I have to meet you first, so come back. Stella lost at rock-paper-scissors.]
[…] ….]
[Want to answer, junior?]
[…] … Yes.]
[Don’t stick out your lips. Since I won, it’s a legitimate right, right?]
Stella responds grumpily to the smug dark spirit.
[Instead, please do not make contact. I won by hugging him first.]
[Oh, of course. Follow your heart.]
Even as he said those words, the dark spirit smiled to himself.
Isn’t it the end if you jump in right away when you first meet?
Hiding her sinister intentions, the dark spirit headed to North Weden with Stella.