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The 3rd Meeting of the Union of the Scales and Scythe.
The moment this oracle confrontation incident erupted, the nations worshiping Equos and Morta rapidly banded together to form the ‘Union of the Scales and Scythe.’
Adopting the ‘Scales’ representing Equos, the God of Balance and Justice, and the ‘Scythe’ representing the God of Death as their symbol, this union was naturally playing the primary role in this reconnaissance(?) mission to Bordeaux Island…
“The number of airships brought down already numbers close to a thousand! Are we seriously okay with continuing like this!?”
“Ugh…”
Unlike the friendly atmosphere at the start, the coalition meetings—which were held every other day and attended by prominent figures from each nation—were rapidly descending into a chaotic mess.
“That’s why I suggested we move a bit more slowly! Gosh… the moment the angels descended, everyone completely lost their minds…!!”
“How about we slow the pace down a bit? Even the Olfen Empire and the Tubilan Empire, who were supporting us with airships, are starting to show extreme reluctance.”
Amidst the influx of negative opinions, an old man with thick silver hair slammed his fist on the table, his eyes gleaming with a ferocity that defied his advanced age.
“Absolutely not!”
“……!”
“……!!”
The old man who spoke must have been an incredible big shot, because the rowdy conference hall instantly fell dead silent.
“Now that we’ve come this far, we have no choice but to see it through to the bitter end, come hell or high water. If we back out now, we will become the laughingstock of the entire continent. No, becoming a laughingstock would be the best-case scenario. The moment we pull out, every single bit of financial support we received will instantly turn into debt.”
“But they clearly stated it was a donation…”
“They might not demand it back in plain currency, but they will extract payment out of us in one way or another. Do you not know why an empire is an empire, and an imperial state is an imperial state?”
“……”
“Everyone. Let us not think so negatively of the situation. Those backing us still have plenty of resources to spare, and so do we. A thousand airships? Even if we lose twice, thrice, or quadruple that number, as long as we can confirm the absence of the Demon King on that island and secure the ancient kingdom’s legacy, such losses are a mere drop in the bucket.”
“……”
“Do not forget. Even the mighty Olfen Empire and the Tubilan Empire—who are situated close enough to practically touch the Demon Territory—haven’t dared to directly lay a hand on it themselves and are instead riding on our coattails. Surely you all know why those fearless tyrants are acting this way?”
“…Because they don’t exclusively worship Lord Equos or Lord Morta like we do. Because the gods they believe in handed down an oracle explicitly warning them not to set foot in the Demon Territory.”
“……”
“Exactly. It is because they have no justification. On the other hand, we possess a justification that they lack. A justification directly granted by the gods.”
“We alone hold the right to look into the Demon Territory under the name of the gods, the justification to plant our flag on Bordeaux Island—that land flowing with milk and honey.”
“……”
“Failing a few times doesn’t mean a golden opportunity ceases to be one. So let us not back down over a minor loss. We can do this.”
The moment his speech concluded, another individual stood up from across the room. This time, it was an elderly beastman.
“I agree with Lord Marcandris. Now is not the time to be counting our losses. Above all else… if we back down now, there will be no next time for us.”
“The reason we were granted this opportunity first… was partly due to the oracle, but more importantly, because confirming the absence of the Demon King is far more critical to mighty powers like the Olfen Empire and the Tubilan Empire than the wealth of the ancient kingdom itself. Their stance is that as long as they can confirm it without having to move themselves, that is perfectly fine.”
“But what if we pull out without even getting close to the Demon Territory? Then they will take matters into their own hands. The breaking of the Oath of Hope is just that serious of an issue.”
Someone raised their hand to counter the beastman.
“But even so, with the oracle in place… could they really take action that easily?”
“An oracle? If those sly foxes set their minds to it, they can bypass something like that whenever they want. The number of nations they use like limbs isn’t just one or two. If they use them as shield-bearing puppets, who on earth could possibly criticize them?”
“……”
“Instead of wasting time here like this, let us form the next reconnaissance team. A massive reconnaissance force capable of trampling over those ‘wicked entities’ guarding the Demon Territory.”
The silver-haired old man immediately clapped his hands the moment the beastman finished speaking.
“You’ve spoken the very words I wanted to say, Lord Bellacas. Thank you.”
With their speeches concluded, the conference hall began to grow rowdy once more. The attendees broke out into heated arguments, splitting into factions for and against the two men’s proposals.
Right at that moment, a tall elf man with deep green hair stood up from his seat and waved his hand dismissively.
“Lord Marcandris. And Lord Bellacas. Truly touching speeches. However… may I ask you two just a single question?”
The silver-haired old man exchanged a glance with the beastman who had supported him, then nodded.
“Speak, Lord Draberian.”
“You spoke of trampling over the wicked entities… but exactly what kind of reconnaissance force must we assemble to trample over the wicked entities you spoke of?”
“…”
“Stop beating around the bush and please tell us a concrete ‘method.’ A tangible method to defeat those malice-filled bald dragons. If you can provide that, I will acknowledge your words and cooperate actively.”
“……”
“Why are you staying silent? Don’t tell me you told us to ‘just keep running’ without having an actual plan?”
“…”
“We put a high mage on board. We borrowed a Grand Master from the empire. We received the backing of the Sky Knights equipped with flying artifacts from the imperial state. We even paid extra to buy and equip a brand-new magic cannon that came out just last year from the Magic Kingdom.”
“……”
“And all of them… were nothing more than scarecrows before those horrifyingly hideous bald dragons.”
“……”
“So let me ask you again. What more must we do to defeat those bald dragons?”
Sweating profusely, the silver-haired old man muttered his response.
“…What about increasing our numbers? Instead of trickling them in a hundred or two hundred at a time, we send a thousand airships all at once. Packed with even more high mages, Masters, and Grand Masters. Fortunately, compared to the damage to the airships, there have been practically zero human casualties. If we emphasize that point and promise a handsome reward…”
“And who exactly is going to pay for that handsome reward?”
“Argh! We can just win and pay it back! Win and pay it back!! Once we secure the island, gold, silver, and treasures will pour out like a mountain. Scooping up just a single spoonful from that pile will be more than enough to cover it!”
“Win and pay it back… fine. Let us say that is true. If we can overwhelm them with sheer numbers like you say, that wouldn’t be a bad idea. But tell me… what if those bald dragons aren’t the end of it?”
“……”
“What if an entire hoard of those things is lurking deeper inside that Demon Territory?”
“That’s impossible… those are Transcendent Dragons. Monsters that climbed to the throne of transcendence despite having the bodies of magical beasts. No matter how dangerous the Demon Territory is, there is no way a dozen of those things are just rolling around.”
“That is merely your assumption. Do you have any proof?”
“…”
“Sigh…”
The green-haired elf fell silent for a moment, before finally giving voice to the thought that no one in the room had dared to speak out loud.
“…In the first place, did the Demon King really die?”
The silver-haired old man snapped in fury.
“Are you seriously doubting the words of those residing in the heavens right now!?”
“Whew… there are just too many anomalies for them to be a simple remnant of monsters protecting the island out of mere instinct. For instance, the fact that they purposefully avoid killing people, and how they drew a clear line and only obliterate those who cross inside…”
“Even the angels descended to tell us! If you won’t believe that, then what on earth can you believe!?”
The green-haired elf also reached his limit and roared back.
“Who cares about some angels! Is there a law stating they can’t lie!? The reality right in front of our eyes is completely different, so do you honestly think blindly charging in based solely on an angel’s word is the right answer!?”
Right at that exact moment.
—You faithless heretic.
A heavy, booming voice that shook the entire conference hall echoed from the ceiling—no, from far above the building itself.
—Truly an insolent remark.
In an instant, the faces of everyone inside the conference hall turned deathly pale.
They had realized it instinctively.
This was absolutely not the voice of a human, a mere mortal.
It was an overwhelming presence that seemed to crush both soul and flesh, mind and body.
Immediately after, a colossal hand crashed through the roof of the building and firmly gripped the green-haired elf.
—What kind of lowly creature are you to dare belittle an angel with such a word?
Amidst the agonizing pain that felt like his entire body was being crushed to pieces, the elf squeezed out a question with all his might.
“W-Who are you?”
—I am the Archangel ‘Weisel,’ servant of Lord Equos.
“……!”
—Draberian. Prime Minister of the Viki Kingdom. It seems you are in need of punishment.
“P-Punishment…! No matter if you are an angel, you have no right to…”
Flash!
In an instant, the elf’s body trapped inside the angel’s grip was enveloped in a brilliant white light.
Before long, that light began to shrink smaller and smaller… and the elf’s pain-filled groans began to distort into a strange sound.
“Urgh! Squeeeak! Sq-Squeak… squeak! Squeak squeak!!”
—This is the punishment behavior deemed fit for you.
“……!”
“……!!”
While everyone present in the meeting hall looked on in pure horror at the mouse running across the table, a colossal angel’s face completely filled the sky above the ruined ceiling of the building.
—Did you say the dragons guarding the Demon Territory are the issue?
At his question, the silver-haired old man hastily dropped to his knees and pressed his hands together.
“Y-Yes… O Great One.”
—Worry not. This time, I shall accompany you all.
“D-Does that mean… you will join our reconnaissance force?”
—Indeed. Bearing the will of my master, Lord Equos, I shall personally tear those creatures apart with my own hands.
Staring at the mouse that was still running around frantically without having found an exit, the people inside the room finally dropped to their knees reverently and pressed their hands together toward the angel.
“Thy will be done, O Great One.”
An enraged Blue unleashed his breath weapon at the Archangel who had just tossed Red aside like a piece of trash.
Crackleeeeeee!
A network of lightning that looked as if it were woven from pure electricity poured forth from the dragon’s snout, which spanned nearly a hundred meters.
The equally colossal Archangel raised both hands to defend against the attack, letting out a deep, grunting shout.
Crashhhhhhhh!
It was a truly grand and majestic sight that looked as if it belonged right inside a legend.
However, even if their physical sizes were similar, the dragon was merely at the Equilibrium Heaven rank while the angel belonged to the Archangel rank.
The chasm separating the two was terrifyingly wide, making it impossible to bridge the gap through ordinary combat skills.
Sure enough, the Archangel ripped through the network of lightning wrapped around his body as if it were a literal net. Leveraging that momentum, he forcefully backhanded Blue.
Smashhhhh!
The giant palm crushed the hundreds of physical and magical barriers erected in front of Blue, forcefully slamming into the dragon’s physical frame. With a piercing shriek, Blue plummeted down into the sea.
“Kyaaaaaaaah!!”
Yikes. I’d better hurry. At this rate, they’re all going to end up dead.
Spurring my legs to move even faster, I relayed a command to Black—the last one standing—via transmission magic.
—Don’t just recklessly charge in. Hold your ground. I’ll take care of the rest from behind.
A timid response came back from Black, who already knew from Disis that I couldn’t easily unleash my full power.
—H-How long do I need to hold out?
—One minute.
—Are you planning to display your original might…?
—No, not exactly.
—How can a mortal possibly face an Archangel…
—Shh. Why do you talk so much?
—I-I will try my best…!
Having successfully bought some time, I narrowed the distance between myself and the angel as much as possible within the given timeframe.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
I sprinted across the surface of the water as if it were flat land for about thirty seconds.
Upon finally arriving at my desired destination, I caught my breath while glancing up at the battle raging between the Archangel and Black in the sky above.
‘A thousand meters. Perfect. With my current self, I can easily manage even from this distance.’
Hiding myself within the massive waves kicked up by the aftermath of their clash, I gripped Astraphe in my right hand and a chunk of ‘orichalcum’—an incredibly expensive magical metal—in my left.
“They say staying prepared prevents disaster… well, mastering a skill always ensures you’ll find a use for it somewhere down the line.”
For the record, the technique I had acquired recently while observing Grand Duke Orléans’ Imagery Realization wasn’t just the ‘materialization of Pure Spiritual Power.’
Understanding the process of energy acquiring mass and turning into matter meant…‘In reverse, it means understanding the process of mass turning into energy.’
Realizing that this could become yet another weapon, I had dug into it relentlessly whenever I had free time. As a result, I had become capable of converting high-quality spiritual metal into raw energy.
In other words, I was now able to replicate E=mc^2, albeit imperfectly.
Of course, what I perceived wasn’t the mechanism of normal energy and matter converting back and forth, but rather energy imbued with Mystery—meaning the mechanism of ‘spiritual power’ and matter converting back and forth.
‘Because of that, it’s a technique that only works when using spiritual metal—specifically spiritual metal with a high degree of Mystery—as a catalyst… but hey, that’s still a huge win.’
‘And it doesn’t just have downsides. Most importantly, expensive spiritual metals can maintain their shape to some extent even in higher dimensions.’
Just in case, I firmly pressed the chunk of orichalcum—which I had nagged Disis into procuring for me—right into the front of Astraphe.
Clack!
Positioning it like that, I placed my hand on the orichalcum and perceived it not as a ‘physical object,’ but as a ‘concentrated mass of energy.’
‘This part was always the hardest.’
—To perceive something means you are capable of intervening with it.
‘Let’s see… if I unravel this section, this part, and this line over here using Pure Spiritual Power… perfect. It’s about to blow.’
Watching the orichalcum turn incandescent and begin to distort, I quickly thrusted the blazing sword forward before it could burn my fingers.
Where to? Toward the angel’s heart, of course.
—Space Cleave.
As I mentioned before, if it was the very first time they encountered it, a lower-tier transcendent would absolutely never be able to dodge this technique.
Sure enough, the angel—who had just grabbed Black by the tail and was about to smash him down onto the sea—suddenly froze mid-motion.
Soon, the creature’s chest began to swell abnormally.
“Huh? Argh…!? Urgh, guuuh, guuuuuuuh…!”
I quickly activated the Blink bracelet I had received from Sodin and left a warning for Black.
—Hey. Get out of the way. You’ll die if you stay there.
—Pardon? Yes? Where should I go? What do you mean I’ll die?
—Just get far away. Use Blink. I did warn you, alright?
Right after, a terrified Black severed his own captured tail and used Blink to flee at that exact moment.
Rumbleeeeeee…
Light and flames erupted from every single one of the angel’s orifices, and the creature exploded with a thunderous roar.
Boommmmmmmmmmmm!!
Pitter, patter, splash…
Staring at the brilliant light and the massive mushroom cloud billowing up into the highest reaches of the sky, I let out a soft exclamation.
“Wow… a Mystery-attributed Little Boy definitely gets the job done.”
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