'But he's strong… No, how can he be this strong? Even taking into account that I'm not in perfect condition… Would I be able to beat him even if I were?'
Dimia had no choice but to cast a spell and heal Krasley's twisted knee.
"Ugh."
Thanks to the overflowing white magic, Krasley's body was completely healed. Since Azadin had threatened him, Krasley didn't get up and instead watched Azadin closely.
"Who told you to heal him completely?"
"Well, I didn't have a choice, Azadin. I'm not that proficient with white magic either."
"Now that you mention it, how are you even using white magic? You don't have a grimoire, do you?"
"Lady Arael gave it to me."
"Arael?"
"Yes. She interpreted a part of the copy of the Book of the Divine King and gave it to me. Amazing, right? She said that once all the copies of the Book of the Divine King are gathered, she'll lift our curse."
"Hmm. So that's why everyone is head over heels for Arael."
Azadin was inwardly shocked. Just interpreting a portion of the copy of the Book of the Divine King possessed by the Arael's faction allowed her to use healing magic like this.
If all the copies were to be gathered, wouldn't that mean Arael could completely master the Book of the Divine King?
He was beginning to understand why even proud houses like the Aether supported Arael.
'Am I really becoming a traitor on my own? Is this really okay?'
But Azadin corrected his thinking.
'Even so, summoning a reaper of the nether and slaughtering the Hubris people can't be justified. If they have that much power, why not just collect the copies of the Book of the Divine King? Why commit meaningless massacres?'
Azadin turned to Zebeck with a request.
"Sir Zebeck, choke Krasley until he passes out."
"Huh? Um… alright."
Zebeck was flustered. From his perspective, Krasley was by no means an easy opponent. And yet, he was being told to choke him out?
"Don't kill him."
"..."
As Zebeck approached, Krasley hesitated, unsure if he should resist. When their eyes locked, Dimia gave Krasley a nod.
"Damn it. What a disgraceful situation."
Krasley didn't resist Zebeck's choking grip and passed out.
"Alright, let's head back to the surface. We'll leave Krasley here, and Dimia, I'm going to tie your hands and feet."
"…Fine."
As Azadin tightly bound Dimia's hands and feet, she grumbled.
"My blood isn't circulating. Aren't you tying it too tight?"
"If I tie it loosely, you'll slip out."
"By the way, Azadin, when did you get this strong? I knew you had mastered the Kazas Haeseo, but were you always this powerful? Won't you share some of your secret techniques with your big sis?"
"Reviewing and revising diligently, and maintaining proper rest and nutrition."
"..."
It was the same answer Dimia had used when young boys and girls of Azadin's grade had asked her how to grow stronger.
Azadin securely bound her limbs and hoisted her onto his back.
"Let's go back to the surface. We can't let Arael act like a savior after unleashing this disaster."
'Not bad.'
Dimia was inwardly impressed as she was carried through the underground passage.
'Acting like a savior after unleashing a disaster…'
That was precisely the Arael's faction's plan.
The Arael's faction had promised the Nagas an alliance in exchange for offering their interpreted copies of the Book of the Divine King, and agreed to scatter the light of the king's virtue to summon the reaper of the nether.
To that end, the Sea Snake Nagas had prepared for the summoning of a nether reaper through massive human sacrifices and mobilized an army to invade Coral Sahar.
The storm, the army—mobilizing all of that must have cost the Nagas dearly.
By threatening Coral Sahar using the Nagas as sacrificial pawns, then allowing a reaper of the nether to descend, Arael would sit on Coral Sahar's throne and use that power to repel the reaper.
She would then declare to the world that, as a descendant of the emperor, she was the rightful heir to the throne, damaging the dignity of the king's church and proclaiming that the Herald Clan—no longer persecuted—was the savior who would overcome the coming doom, the era of Jupiter.
That was the Arael's faction's true plan.
'The heralds may study politics and strategy, but this guy is sharp. Is it because he's Lady Arael's twin? Come to think of it, those born under the curse of service are said to become the most talented heralds. I always thought Lady Arael was the one benefiting from that curse, but maybe this guy is too?'
Dimia was genuinely impressed by Azadin's cleverness.
***
After swimming through the flooded section, they emerged outside where the Herald Clan's servants were waiting.
"Hm?"
"Lady Dimia?!"
They were startled to see Dimia bound hand and foot with rope like livestock being carted off to market.
"Ah, everyone calm down. It's because the magic ritual failed. Right?"
"…Yeah."
Dimia had no choice but to nod.
Though the servants wore suspicious expressions, she hugged Azadin and acted chummy.
"He's Lady Arael's little brother. Trust him."
"Huh?"
The onlookers were startled, but Azadin calmly spoke to the Herald Clan's servants.
"So, how's the reaper of the nether?"
"It's chaos right now. Some of the Sea Snake Nagas are transforming into the nether's minions… it seems even they've lost control."
"Prisoners are dying. The crazed Nagas are devouring people."
"The gates are under continuous assault, and the holy knights' white magic is weakening. They're getting pushed back hard."
"I see. And Arael?"
"We're not exactly sure… she said she'd appear when needed, so she must be nearby, but we don't know for sure."
"Is that so? Alright, then I'll head to the royal city."
"Y-Yes. What should we do?"
"If it gets too overwhelming, help fight the Nagas. Our alliance only lasted up to this point anyway, right?"
"Yes, understood."
The servants nodded at Azadin and turned to leave.
"Oh, wait. Before you go."
"Yes?"
"Arrows."
Azadin didn't forget to resupply his arrows.
***
Each time thunder flashed, a massive shadow loomed over the sea. Even those with no magic prowess could now see the reaper of the nether, that enormous silhouette.
"Hiiieeek!"
"It's the era of Jupiter!"
"Dear gods, no…"
"Hiiik… Don't look! If we see them, they see us!"
People trembled in terror just at the sight of the nether reaper's shadow.
It had not yet directly intervened in the present world, but even with half its body submerged in the sea, the gigantic figure loomed taller than a lighthouse—just seeing it was enough to crush one's fighting spirit.
"I-I renounce the false gods I've worshipped! O nether god, if you tell me your name, I will devote myself to you!"
Among the crowd were those who renounced their faith in the Yaegas Divine Clan, begging the nether god for mercy.
"You lunatics! What are you doing?! Move!"
Sergeants kicked aside the frenzied crowd and brought wooden furniture to reinforce the gates and entrances.
"You're working hard."
Azadin strode in confidently, praising their efforts.
"Ugh? You are—?"
"I am Azadin, the 108th herald of the Emperor! His Majesty Ansethus IV gave me a direct command, so step aside."
"..."
"Do you know what this is?"
Azadin showed the necklace he had received from Ansethus IV—the Necklace for breathing underwater.
"Hmm. It's the real thing."
The commander, recognizing it as the necklace the king usually wore, looked flustered.
"Tch! This is what happens when we ally with the Herald Clan!"
"Oh? Are you criticizing the king right now?"
Azadin asked one of the grumbling sergeants.
"Fine, get inside! Damn it, we're all going to die! This is all because of that foolish king!"
"Calling him a foolish king, huh. People really do change the object of their worship too easily when things get hard."
"Yeah, say whatever you want. If we're still alive tomorrow, I'll gladly accept any punishment!"
Grumbling like that, the sergeant gathered weapons and moved toward his assigned station.
His words were harsh, but he was fulfilling his duty.
"Hmm…"
Azadin took note of this, then turned and walked toward the royal castle.
***
—Uwooooooh!
A colossal titan roared from beyond the sea, past the wind and rain.
At the same time, massive boulders, like volcanic bombs, began to fall from the sky.
They landed throughout Coral Sahar's city, crashing into rain-flooded areas and creating towering columns of water, while others collided with buildings, spires, and stone walls, bursting apart and dying on impact.
Those that landed safely without exploding began to unfurl their coiled bodies, revealing multi-jointed limbs and countless tendrils as they began to move across the earth.
"Hiiieek!"
"Waaah!"
While the soldiers were panicking at the monsters falling from the sky, the frenzied Sea Snake Nagas willingly approached the round monsters and offered their bodies.
When the pill bug-like creature opened its mouth, it revealed a sharp, dagger-like maw as thick as a human forearm. It drove this into the back of the Naga's head, piercing the skull and sucking out the brain, then attached itself to the Sea Snake Naga's body.
The Naga's eyes rolled back, foam gushed from its mouth… and soon the two rose as one, with dark venomous energy leaking from every inch of their now-fused form.
"Wh-what is that?!"
"Damn it! Fire!"
From atop the ramparts, the soldiers fired bolts at the mutated Naga with heavy crossbows. But the Naga bent forward, using the Nether creature fused to its back to block the bolts with its hard exoskeleton.
—Ting!
A metallic sound rang out as the bolt bounced off.
"Huh?"
"Unbelievable!"
A heavy crossbow bolt was powerful enough to pierce through a Naga with ease.
Yet now, some were simply glancing off. Not all—those that hit directly still pierced through, but shots at bad angles deflected off.
"Dear gods!"
"Get it together! Keep firing! Pikemen, block their advance!"
At the sergeants' orders, spear-wielding soldiers stepped forward, and the crossbowmen quickly reloaded their weapons.
Amid the storm, a brutal battle began between the mutated Sea Snake Nagas, fused with Nether beings, and the human soldiers.
***
Ansethus IV sat on the Quartz Throne, the throne of the Yaegas Divine Clan, with his eyes closed.
Outside the window, lightning flashed, followed by the roll of thunder. Illuminated starkly by the lightning, his face looked like it had been carved from stone.
—Gwooooooooh!
A faint roar of a colossal monster echoed through the storm.
And from the sky, something began to fall. That titan within the storm was spewing something from its mouth, riding the wind and falling all across Coral Sahar.
When some of it struck the spires of the royal castle, they shook, and the vibration reached even the throne room.