The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations Chapter 812

Episode 812: The One Who Will Kill You (7)

Paaaa
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If they were all killed, the war would be vastly more advantageous to the Salvation Church.
But then, suddenly, a dragon invaded. The timing was completely unexpected.
If that were all, it would have been fine. But they managed to break through the veil of darkness and perform the miracle of the saint.
‘… … What is this?’
They had clearly overcome this crisis with exceptional skill. It was a skill worthy of recognition.
But could skill alone have truly achieved this result?
The sudden incursion of the dragon, the seemingly endless power of Astion and the Yulien mercenaries,
and the support of the elven chieftain and the dwarven king.
It was as if everything had been prepared for this battle.
‘… … It was a coincidence.’
He made the right choice for the situation, and they made the right choice for the situation.
The strength of the Yulien mercenaries was achieved through their own efforts, not by accident.
He hadn’t anticipated this battle, and the Yulien mercenaries likely felt the same way. It was
simply a coincidence that all the conditions coincided, leading to this outcome.
Anyone would think so. It was only natural.
But… … .
Why on earth.
No matter what he did… … .
No matter what method he used… … . Why
did he feel so certain that he would not be able to kill the saint here?
Why did he feel like he was caught up in some vast cosmic current that even the gods could not predict?
As if this outcome was already predetermined.
‘… … What is it?’
What on earth could have led to this outcome?
No matter how much the adversary thought, he couldn’t figure it out. So he retraced his steps.
‘… … Where did it all go wrong?’
When he first met the Yulien Mercenary Corps?
When he tried to kill the saint?
Or when he tried to decide the outcome here?
‘… … No.’
All of those were just small ripples, without the power to change the grand current.
No matter how much he retold the past, he couldn’t find the cause of his current failure. No hypothesis could give him confidence.
The reason must have been somewhere!
Paaaaaaaah!
The divided darkness rippled again and gathered into one.
Julian slashed with all his might, but ultimately failed to inflict a fatal wound on his adversary.
Kwaaaaang!
The adversary reached out and Julian was thrown backwards.
He looked at Julian and said,
“…It seems our fight will be a very long one.”
It wasn’t a simple sentiment, but an undeniable premonition.
The moment he realized this, the adversary felt the immense chains of fate binding him.
These chains weren’t just for him.
For the saintess, and for Julian before him now.
As if they had been passed down from the beginning of time, they were bound by an inescapable chain of fate.
‘Ah… … I see. I’m not free yet.’
The adversary smiled in the darkness.
He didn’t know where this fate would end, but
he knew that when the time came, these chains of fate would be broken.
When that day came… … .
He would regain true freedom and escape his fate.
Paaaaah!
The adversary’s body turned dark and soared high into the sky.
“Where are you running?”
The dragon’s roar, filled with rage, shook the earth.
Endless flames and countless magics tore through the sky, pursuing the adversary.
Iraniel also drew Elven Serenade and fired at the adversary. Superhumans and wizards capable of long-range attacks also attacked the adversary.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The adversary took every single hit.
With each attack, the darkness shook violently. His energy was dwindling.
But the adversary focused solely on leisurely leaving.
“My fate has not yet permitted me to die…”
He knew he wouldn’t die here.
And surprisingly, things turned out just as he had expected.
“You bastard!”
the dragon growled, spreading its wings to pursue.
The adversary was noticeably weaker now, having been hit by divine power and suffered countless attacks.
He couldn’t miss this opportunity. But the dragon couldn’t keep up.
“Ugh…”
Boom!
The dragon let out a pained groan and fell back to the ground.
The darkness the adversary had left within him still lingered. It thrashed wildly, continuing to consume the dragon’s body.
In the end, the dragon had to give up chasing the adversary and focus all its energy on suppressing the darkness.
The other superhumans were no different. They were barely alive.
None of them had the strength left to pursue the adversary. They couldn’t even think of doing so.
One by one, they collapsed to the ground. For now, surviving this darkness was more important than chasing the adversary.
Silence fell over the battlefield for a moment.
Everyone gasped for breath, trembling, unable to truly grasp their own survival.
And finally, the roar of the Human Alliance rang out.
“Waaaaaaah!”
“We… we have won!”
“The adversary has retreated!”
A roar of joy, almost a scream, erupted.
Everyone embraced one another in joy. Even the elves and dwarves, who were at odds, held each other and wept.
A sense of liberation, like escaping hell.
The thrill of having finally survived the abyss of death.
At this moment, everyone shared the same emotion.
And the one who had made this victory possible was…
“The Saint has led us!”
“Goddess! Bless our saint!”
“The saint is the only true light!”
The chant seemed endless.
Soldiers, knights, magicians, and even nobles all raised their heads and shouted to the saint.
Duke Staufen, commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army, ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair.
He briefly gazed at the cheering Imperial troops before approaching the cardinals in the rear.
Duke Staufen said to Borisko,
“Now you must admit it.”
“…That, that.”
“Everyone has seen that the Pope is the leader of evil. That cannot be resolved with excuses or fabricated words.”
“…”
“The war against the demonic realm requires a focal point. Only the Pope could fulfill that role. Now that the Pope is gone, the saint must become the focal point.
” “…”
The cardinals’ eyes wavered. But Duke Staufen did not stop speaking.
“And the honor of guarding the saint will belong to the Julien mercenary corps.”
“……”
“That’s right. That’s how we can win.”
Duke Staufen turned around after saying that. He knew well what was needed to win the war.
The cardinals, including Borisko, were speechless.
The current situation was not one where the authority and manipulation of the church could work. If they didn’t acknowledge the saint, the people wouldn’t remain silent.
Now that the Pope had been proven to be a devil, who could dare deny the saint’s miracles?
“A lowly priest ascending to the position of a saint…”
“What on earth has happened…”
“The end times truly are the end times…”
The cardinals were all stunned. They still felt like a dream.
But the Pope had made a mistake. It was beyond excuse or understanding.
In the end, the cardinals and high priests followed Duke Staufen.
Paaaaah… …
The light pouring down from the sky still enveloped Deneb.
The light spread in all directions, filling the battlefield, once stained with despair, with a sacred radiance.
Deneb stood in that light, eyes closed.
Now, she radiated a majesty and elegance unmatched by anyone.
Slurp, slurp, slurp.
Each time Duke Stauffen approached Deneb, the cheers gradually grew louder.
Countless eyes focused solely on that single footstep.
Slowly.
When Duke Staufen finally arrived before Deneb, a suffocating silence enveloped the battlefield.
In her original position, Deneb would have bowed to Duke Staufen the moment she saw him.
Even a cardinal could not hold his head high in the presence of an imperial duke.
But now, everything was different.
Duke Staufen slowly knelt before Deneb and bowed his head.
He placed his sword in front of him and said,
“We will follow the path the saint leads. As her light illuminates the world, we dedicate our blood and soul to that light. Saint, we are now all your people and your army.”
Then, the cardinals and high priests fell to the ground and said,
“We will accept the saint as our light.”
The ripples soon spread throughout the entire United Human Forces.
From mere soldiers to noble nobles, elves and dwarves, everyone knelt without exception.
A roar that shook the heavens and earth echoed.
“We invite the saint into our light!”
Deneb slowly opened her eyes.
In the sacred light, she stretched out her arms.
Soon, a soft voice permeated everyone’s ears.
“May the goddess’s blessings… be with you all.”
Paaaa… …
A dazzling light exploded and spread.
It descended upon all those gathered, wiping away their pain and despair and planting new hope.
On this day, Deneb was undoubtedly accepted as humanity’s “saint.”

* * *

The adversary walked for a long time.
He couldn’t see the path, but his destination was clear.
A dark aura, invisible to others, filled the sky, guided him.
The thick darkness that had enveloped him had already vanished.
However, his appearance was still that of a pope.
He was clad in splendid robes, dazzling jewelry, and everything that symbolized his former authority.
The only difference was his hair, now dark.
After walking for a while, the adversary suddenly stopped.
“Hmm…”
One by one, figures clad in black robes appeared around him.
The adversary recognized them immediately. They were priests of the Church of Salvation. They were
not yet in the realm of the demonic realm, so their numbers were small, but each and every one of them, having been brought out into the world, possessed immense power.
They all knelt and prostrated themselves on the ground.
Their voices, exquisitely blended as if they were one, resonated through the earth.
“King of salvation, you who will usher in the end and beginning of the world. We all bow down at your feet and follow you.”
The adversary smiled at the sight.
“…I have finally found my place.”
At that moment, the shadows cast beneath his feet grew darker.
Now it was time to move as fate led.