Chapter 265
The blue lightning that had fallen into the capital's slums.
Because of that sudden disaster, the peaceful western district of Istierenne, the Holy City, turned into complete chaos in an instant.
RUMBLE-!
CRACK-! KRAAAASH!
The remnants of the lightning spread violently, destroying buildings and tearing apart the roads.
“Aaaaaaaah!”
“G-God……!”
The citizens fled in the opposite direction, trying to escape the blue storm raging across the sky.
“The Red Cross Knights have arrived! Don't panic and move quickly!”
“Anyone who can walk, move! Report the locations of the injured!”
A group of holy knights and priests who had rushed to the scene helped the citizens evacuate.
They protected the refugees from falling debris and healed the wounded.
They were also curious about the cause of the disaster in the corner of the slums, but they prioritized the duties they had to perform.
BAAAAAANG-!
Cardinal Grazia Delleda, who had arrived at the scene, ran against the wave of fleeing refugees.
Her dark sea-colored eyes, staring at the blue lightning and storm growing closer, were filled with a sharp light.
Even though I'm this far away, buildings are collapsing…… Could this be the disaster he predicted?
The thought sent chills down her spine.
If that was really the case, just how far ahead could Glenn Wordsworth see?
How much must someone be favored by God to be able to foresee the future?
But……
None of that mattered right now.
What she needed to do was not think, but act.
Eliminate the source of the disaster.
That was her duty as one of the strongest people remaining in the capital.
Firming up her resolve, Cardinal Grazia increased her speed.
Before long, she arrived at the site where the disaster had begun.
And then—
“……!”
Cardinal Grazia held her breath.
ZZZT-! BOOM!
KRAAAAAASH!
Explosions of various colors erupted both above and below.
At the center, more than a dozen figures were moving frantically.
Among them, there was one particularly eye-catching existence.
A woman holding the lightning that had turned the entire area into a wasteland in the palm of her hand.
Even Grazia, one of the five strongest people in the Holy See, stopped in her tracks under that overwhelming presence.
“What on earth is that……?”
Her normally unwavering dark sea-colored eyes shook violently.
As she witnessed an existence that seemed capable of easily surpassing even the Ninth Realm, Cardinal Grazia instinctively understood.
Even if more than a dozen of me attacked her at once, she wouldn't even blink.
And that meant there was no one here capable of stopping that living disaster.
“Urgh……!”
She had already realized long ago that she was merely a frog in a well and that there were countless powerful beings in the world who surpassed ordinary standards.
But the fact that she was currently the only person capable of resolving this situation felt terribly unfair.
If I attack that thing now, I will definitely die.
But if I retreat, the casualties will only increase.
Yet she did not hesitate for long.
Cardinal Grazia reached for the handle of the enormous axe strapped to her back.
But…… if I don't stop that disaster, who will?
Just as Grazia steeled her wavering gaze and was about to kick off the ground—
“Hmm?!”
A familiar-looking man suddenly appeared at the edge of her vision.
The gray-haired man suddenly leaped into the sky from between the buildings.
He flew toward the embodiment of disaster like an arrow and swung his sword.
BAAAAAANG!
A gray sword storm erupted from the swing.
It collided with the blue storm pouring from the woman's hand and caused a massive explosion.
“……”
The boy who had once sparred with her and swung his sword with all his strength had now reached a realm that even she had to look up to.
Cardinal Grazia stood there and quietly watched Glenn's battle.
The sight made her let out a hollow laugh.
“Good grief……”
“You worthless piece of trash!”
Lunicus spat the words out through clenched teeth as she released rune power from her entire body.
The power, not even properly controlled, violently tore through the air and spread outward.
But the gray-haired man continued advancing, cutting even that power apart.
Then a gray sword aura formed from the combined power of Minis and Nox and slammed into the magical barrier surrounding her.
THWAAAAANG-!
“Kuh!”
The magical barrier did not break, but the impact that it failed to completely block was transmitted inside.
The pain she was experiencing for the first time in her life felt incredibly strange.
That unfamiliar pain quickly turned into stress, making her head spin.
Crack-
How can a mere being from the ground……?!
She couldn't believe it.
Even if this was a power that should not exist, how could someone who wasn't even a god push her this far?
If she hadn't lost half her power, she would never have suffered such humiliation.
Lunicus turned her gaze away.
What are her followers doing while the god they worship is being humiliated like this?
But they were also struggling because they had to deal with the lesser gods.
“Sage! At this rate……!”
“Fall back behind the barrier!”
Lunicus had given her beloved follower, Magnolian, a grimoire powerful enough to rival even the magic of gods.
But he was too busy using it to protect his disciples from the attacks of the gods.
“Lunicus! Today, I shall offer you as a sacrifice to mourn Minis's disappearance!”
“I shall join you as well. Alberios! Let us drag down this remnant of the past together!”
As the Rune Church's followers became defensive, one or two lesser gods joined the battle.
They were already being pushed back even in one-on-one fights.
And now even more enemies were joining.
If this continues……!
She had come here to kill Minis.
Yet now she was facing the possibility that she herself would disappear instead.
I have to retreat…… What……?
Lunicus flinched.
Her deep blue eyes widened as she repeated the thought she had just had.
Retreat? Me, a high-ranking god……? From those losers who aren't even worthy of being called gods…… and those worms crawling on the ground?
A god was thinking about running away.
That meant threatening the very dignity of a god.
This was different from simply acting recklessly.
“I'm…… a god…… I am the master of magic and runes who once possessed everything. Every miracle and every piece of magic you use began with me……”
Lunicus lowered her head and began muttering as if spitting out the words.
Sensing something ominous, Glenn withdrew his sword and increased the distance between them.
“Why should someone like me turn my back on you and run away……”
