Chapter 473 : Astarote (4)

How long had they been moving to subjugate Astarote?

Alon ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍noticed one strange anomaly.

“The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sky is dark.”

“It ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍really is.”

Until ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍just moments ago, even while obscured by countless divine-bloods, the sun had still been radiating brilliant light through the gaps between them.

But ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍now, it no longer existed.

Instead, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what occupied the sky were pitch-black storm clouds.

‘Those don’t seem like ordinary storm clouds...............’

They were far too dark to even be called clouds.

Alon silently stared at them before suddenly turning his gaze toward Seolrang.

Just like him, Seolrang was looking up at the dark clouds as though observing something strange.

And the farther south they traveled toward where Astarote was located, the darker the sky became, making Alon briefly wonder whether something truly existed within those black clouds.

“Lord Alon, over there~”

At Evan’s voice, Alon shifted his gaze and soon spotted ruins at the far edge of the horizon.

Ruins that clearly still bore traces of once having been inhabited by people.

But now, they had become a place where no one could possibly live anymore, with only the skeletal remains of the walls left behind as proof that a domain had once stood there.

And the moment the divine-bloods and Alon’s group all noticed the ruins—

“……!”

A divine-blood suddenly appeared in the empty ruins where nothing had been visible before.

A divine-blood clad in black armor that had abruptly materialized out of nowhere.

At the sight, the members of the subjugation force were briefly confused.

Soon, however, they frowned as though unable to understand what they were seeing.

And for good reason.

[............What is that?]

Because black divine-bloods had begun appearing one after another from the previously empty ruins.

First two.

Then four.

Then eight.

And after that, so many divine-bloods appeared that the others momentarily lost count.

The subjugation force fell into confusion.

Naturally so.

The divine-bloods appearing so suddenly had not crossed over from the horizon. They truly looked as though they had simply materialized out of nowhere.

Thus, while the divine-bloods stared in bewilderment at the scene—

[Attack—!]

Red Conviction snapped back to his senses and shouted.

It may have been a rash judgment.

However, at his words, the divine-bloods immediately charged toward the black-armored divine-bloods without hesitation.

It might have been reckless, but everyone already understood something.

That something suspicious was happening here.

And so, as the interests of the divine-bloods aligned, the subjugation force clashed with the black-armored divine-bloods as though it had been planned from the beginning.

—KWA-AAAAANG—!

A horrifying sound erupted merely from the collision of divine-bloods.

If ordinary humans had been nearby, they would have been caught in the aftermath and annihilated instantly. Explosions powerful enough to erase them entirely erupted continuously, and before long, dreadful sounds rang out from all directions as the battle began.

The battle, which had started abruptly with the sudden appearance of the black-armored divine-bloods without any warning whatsoever, unfolded somewhat differently from what Alon had expected.

‘What is this……?’

Confusion surfaced in Alon’s eyes as he had only moments ago been wondering how they were supposed to deal with Astarote’s divine-bloods.

The reason was the state of the battlefield, which deviated far too much from his expectations.

Even if they were fighting together with the subjugation force to eliminate Astarote, he had expected casualties in many ways.

Based on the information he already knew, Astarote was more than dangerous enough an opponent.

But—

“……Lord Alon.”

“What is it?”

“……Isn’t this way too easy?”

—Strangely enough, the battle situation was overwhelmingly more favorable than Alon had imagined.

Alon turned his gaze forward.

There, standing at the forefront while mercilessly slaughtering the black divine-bloods, were Red Conviction and Clinging Eye.

Yes, this was not a war.

It was closer to a one-sided massacre.

A horrific scream burst from a black divine-blood approaching Red Conviction.

At the same time, its body began melting away.

Kwachik—!

Without the slightest hesitation, the red divine-blood severed the neck of the grotesquely transformed divine-blood whose black armor and flesh had melted together. Above him floated the crimson cross over his head, glowing even redder as he melted every black divine-blood that entered his range.

Puhseok—!

Nearby, Clinging Eye was also effortlessly dealing with the black-armored divine-bloods. The enemies swung their weapons uselessly into empty air as though they could see nothing at all.

And it was the same elsewhere.

Certainly, there were divine-bloods being attacked and killed one-sidedly by the black divine-bloods.

But most of the divine-bloods overwhelmingly dominated them.

Far too easily.

Far too effortlessly.

And then, not long after that.

Black masses rapidly gathered together, beginning to take on a shape resembling a human.

[!]

The moment he noticed it, Red Conviction immediately dyed his cross crimson and swung his sword toward the gathering black mass.

KWAAAAAAANG—!!!

A deafening explosion erupted.

Violent force powerful enough to casually obliterate an entire village was unleashed toward a single point.

However—

Soon, the red divine-blood—no, all the divine-bloods—looked downward in shock.

Because standing there, in the place Red Conviction had struck after sensing danger, was a single person.

No, strictly speaking, it could not truly be called a person.

It wore tattered robes resembling those of a monk.

Its body was so thin and shriveled that one could question whether it was even alive at all, like a mummy.

Though there was a hole through the center of its chest, it undoubtedly possessed a human form.

And yet the reason it could not be called human—

Was because it had no head.

Instead, there were two spears.

Two spear shafts crossed over where the old man’s head should have been, embedded into both shoulders as they blocked Red Conviction’s sword.

With only a single finger.

[Descender.]

The moment Red Conviction recognized the figure and reacted in horror—

[Brother’s ability does not extend very far. And it takes quite a long time to inflict damage.]

An old man’s voice rang out.

And the very next moment—

Puhseok—!

Red Conviction’s head exploded apart.

Pierced by an enormous grotesque spike that burst from behind the old man’s back.

[!]

The moment Clinging Eye saw that, it immediately attempted to retreat backward, but—

Cheut—!

In the next instant, the old man had already appeared before Clinging Eye.

[Brother cannot use his ability unless he makes contact.]

And with those words—

KWACHIK—!

He threw a punch directly into Clinging Eye’s body.

Puhseok—!

Its heart exploded instantly.

The shocking sight caused all the divine-bloods to freeze momentarily, but only briefly.

[Brother’s ability becomes meaningless unless concentration is maintained for a certain amount of time.]

As though he had been waiting for this, the old man—no, Descender—began slaughtering the divine-bloods one after another.

[Brother’s ability is powerful, but easy to evade.]

One by one—

[Brother’s ability is—]

Calmly—

“!”

The moment he saw that scene, Alon realized two things.

One was that the information known by the subjugation force had been wrong.

And the other—

Puhseok—!

Why Descender had deliberately created black-armored divine-bloods destined to lose and sent them into battle.

‘Was it to figure out their abilities............?’

The moment Alon realized that, the old man stopped killing the divine-bloods.

No, he had not stopped.

More accurately, he had merely finished the first round of cleanup.

The cleanup of the divine-bloods who had revealed their ‘abilities’ during the battle against the black divine-bloods moments ago.

“……”

Alon briefly realized that most of the dead divine-bloods were those who had just recently been slaughtering Astarote’s forces on the frontlines.

Then—

[Allow me to make a proposal to my brothers.]

Descender opened his mouth.

[How about serving the great Astarote?]

His tone was unbelievably calm.

[If my brothers abandon the path of heresy and choose to serve Lord Astarote, we would gladly welcome you and accept you as one of our own. Just like those who came before.]

And quietly, he made the divine-bloods an offer.

A somewhat strange offer.

[Those who came before……?]

[Indeed. Just like your comrades.]

[...............Are you talking about the ones you killed?]

At that, one of the listening divine-bloods asked in confusion.

[Kill? Surely not.]

The previously silent Descender shook his head as he spoke.

[They merely became brothers.]

[What kind of absur—]

The divine-blood speaking with a frown suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

Because it had realized that the corpses of the divine-bloods that had been spilling red blood moments ago had vanished.

And then—

[Now, look.]

The vanished corpses began appearing once again.

[See? Alive once more, serving as servants for Lord Astarote.]

Wearing the same black armor characteristic of Astarote’s forces.

[Inside me.]

And then—

[This is—]

[Impossible—]

[The information—]

At those words, a strange tension and fear spread among the divine-bloods.

Because everyone gathered here had personally witnessed the leaders of the Purebloods and Closed Light—Red Conviction and Clinging Eye—being instantly slaughtered.

Of course, even with the deaths of those two, the overall strength of the gathered divine-bloods had not declined significantly.

At least, as far as Alon knew, while the two had indeed been powerful among the divine-bloods currently descended upon the surface, they had not been overwhelmingly transcendent.

Yet despite that, the fear spreading among the divine-bloods after witnessing the overwhelming deaths of their leaders could not easily be suppressed.

[...............Don’t tell me you even devoured the divine-bloods following you?]

[Mind your words, brother. They merely became ‘one.’ For the sake of welcoming Him.]

The incorrect information only brought even greater confusion and fear toward the enemy among the divine-bloods.

“......Shouldn’t we run away even now?”

“I think this is seriously bad.”

Even Evan and Penia showed fear in their eyes after hearing Descender’s words.

Yet despite that, Alon, who had silently continued watching the Descender, glanced once toward Seolrang.

Seolrang was also silently looking back at him.

And after finally finishing his thoughts, Alon spoke.

“……There seems to be no need for that.”

With faint certainty in his voice.