Chapter Index

    “Kill.”

    As soon as the order was given, the black wizards surrounding Oliver and his group simultaneously started extracting emotions for their death magic attack.

    [Hate Bullet]

    Bullets filled with hatred rained from all directions.

    Although the black magic was basic, it was much faster and more powerful than average.

    This was due to the unique materials used, but still, it was black magic.

    [Divine Protection]

    As soon as they landed, the Holy Knights formed a formation, stacked their shields, and chanted.

    A faint yellow barrier instantly formed around the Holy Knights, expanding as they combined to create a massive shield.

    Pzzzz!

    The bullets vanished the moment they touched the yellow barrier.

    Crack.

    Unbent Knee wasn’t fazed as he snapped his fingers, ordering the creatures.

    Immediately, the Red Ones’ creatures charged with bared teeth and claws, toy soldiers attached bayonets to their toy rifles and rushed forward, and the cute teddy bear pulled out blood-stained claws, swiping at them. A unicorn charged with its horn aimed, and the dinosaur bared its fearsome teeth.

    A variety of deafening noises echoed all around, and as they grew louder, the once solid barrier started to waver and soon cracked.

    Oliver and Joanna exchanged glances, both remembering a similar scene from the past.

    [Purify]

    As the enemy’s attack peaked, Joanna and all the Holy Knights shouted in unison.

    The softly glowing yellow barrier suddenly burst into flames, rapidly expanding and consuming everything around.

    ━━━━━━!!!!

    The beautiful but powerful yellow flames even burned Fen’s creatures, who had some resistance to holy power, reducing them to ash, and extended toward the nearby Red Ones’ black wizards.

    [Blade Of Hatred]

    As the yellow flames were about to engulf the black wizards, Unbent Knee chanted a spell. A giant sword made of pure hatred cleaved the flames in half as it flew forward.

    The Holy Knights tried to respond but lacked the time.

    [Black Suit]

    At that instant, Oliver donned the Black Suit and rushed forward, directly confronting the incoming greatsword.

    As expected, its physical power was immense, making it impossible to block head-on.

    However, Oliver remained calm, focusing all his energy on the Quarterstaff, channeling his death magic and physical abilities to alter the sword’s trajectory.

    Just like he did when facing Bartholomew, the elder of the Anti-Development Committee.

    Psssh━━!!!

    The giant sword of hatred narrowly missed the group, instead piercing through the Intestine Tunnel.

    The intestine-creature writhed in agony, causing the ground to shake violently and ejecting digestive fluids that threatened everyone inside.

    ············.

    Even as chaos erupted around them to avoid the digestive fluids, Unbent Knee remained composed, silently observing Oliver.

    Oliver met his gaze too. Though his death magic skill was nothing special, the way he handled souls and emotions was impressive.

    “Spread out! We need to finish off the creatures before more come━ Gahhh!!”

    One of the Pinkman captains started giving orders but suddenly screamed in pain.

    It was because three clowns had sprung from beneath him, swinging toy scythes and severing his legs.

    There were five casualties in total.

    Considering there were only three ambushers, the injury count was relatively low.

    Ordinary mercenaries or fixers would have been wiped out, but the Pinkman reacted correctly.

    Even so, the loss was significant, and five men down was still a heavy blow.

    “Heeheeheeheehee━!”

    The clowns burst out from the floor, laughing as they pulled balloons from their clothes and sent them towards the scattered Pinkman.

    The colorful balloons floated gently, popping just in front of the Pinkman’s faces, releasing explosions, poison gas, venomous spiders, and even moving dentures.

    “Aaargh!”

    Some of the Pinkman fell victim to this unexpected, playful attack. However, those unharmed quickly swapped positions with the wounded and engaged the clowns wielding toy scythes.

    Even though the clowns were able to pass through walls, floors, and ceilings, the Pinkman, who had encountered them before, responded appropriately, and the Holy Knights healed the wounded Pinkman while dealing with the other Red Ones’ creatures and black wizards emerging from the intestines.

    “Don’t look away!”

    Just as Oliver was about to join the fray between the Holy Knights and Pinkman, four black wizards, their skin turned dark red, equipped with tomahawks, spears, clubs, and gunstock war clubs, charged at him.

    They intended to overwhelm him with their enhanced physical strength, assuming that the skinny Oliver was weak in close combat.

    Their assumption was reasonable but sadly mistaken.

    Bang! Crash━Bang!!

    Draped in the Black Suit, Oliver rushed at the incoming wizards. He caught the tomahawk aimed at his head mid-air, returning it with force. He thrust the Quarterstaff into the spearman, breaking the spear’s shaft and the man’s ribs, and crushed the club-wielder’s weapon with a punch.

    All of this happened in an instant.

    The black wizards were shocked, but they did not falter. They were ready to die.

    [Holy Light]

    The giant Red Ones’ wizard with the gunstock war club pulled out a Holy Power item and shouted.

    It seemed to be loot acquired from a Holy Knight, and upon activation, it engulfed the area in holy light, dissipating the Black Suit covering Oliver’s body.

    As the Black Suit disappeared, Oliver’s frail form was exposed.

    “Die━”

    ━Snap!!

    As the wizard swung his weapon, Oliver mimicked Bartholomew’s technique, spinning his Quarterstaff to shatter the gunstock war club and crush the Red One’s wizard’s mouth.

    Teeth scattered everywhere, and the jaw was completely shattered, causing immense pain, yet the wizard didn’t pass out. Instead, he looked confused.

    He couldn’t comprehend how someone as gaunt as Oliver could possess such strength.

    But he didn’t just express his confusion.

    Clack!

    He forcibly mustered the strength to tightly grip Oliver’s Quarterstaff, despite his weapon breaking and his jaw shattering.

    It was pure willpower.

    Although Oliver could have easily shaken him off, he hesitated for a second, caught by the wizard’s resolve, giving Unbent Knee time to close in using a death magic claw made from souls.

    [Resentment Claw]

    Unbent Knee swung his claws, mixed with intense hatred and resentment, that exploded into dozens of blades aimed at Oliver.

    The power behind the blades was real, capable of even causing harm to the caster’s own hands.

    ‘Is it because he overused souls?’

    Oliver thought as he stood unharmed amidst the blades’ explosion.

    Unbent Knee was shocked to see Oliver unscathed… or perhaps it was the artificial soul Oliver had created that surprised him.

    The black wizard who sacrificed his jaw to hold onto the Quarterstaff was caught in the explosion, leaving his body torn to shreds while Oliver and Unbent Knee faced off, each gripping the Quarterstaff tightly.

    “…Who are you?”

    Unbent Knee asked, eyes filled with confusion, hatred, and resentment.

    “I’m Dave from 30th Street, T-District, Randa. Thanks for asking my name. May I ask you a question too?”

    ······.

    “The souls you’re using now—are they the ones from your comrades who fought alongside you when you attacked Lieutenant General Philip? How do you use them?”

    ······!

    Hearing Oliver’s inquisitive question, Unbent Knee felt a surge of extreme humiliation and anger. He added more souls, trying to overpower Oliver.

    Strangely, despite using his comrades’ souls as death magic resources willingly, he simultaneously didn’t want to, feeling sorrow and torment.

    The souls seemed to react to Unbent Knee’s emotions, increasing their strength, pushing Oliver back gradually. The power of real souls was indeed unique.

    Realizing the inefficiency, Oliver tried to grab the Red Ones’ wizard with death magic, but Fen’s shadow, hanging from the ceiling, lunged down at him with a dagger.

    Loaded with a lethal attack, Oliver had no choice but to let go of Unbent Knee, putting distance between them.

    Fen’s shadow descended from the ceiling, absorbing the surrounding darkness as it expanded its body. It grew numerous blades on one arm, extending it towards Oliver.

    It could strike five times at once.

    Slit! Slit! Slit! Slit! Slit!

    Every time the shadow’s bladed arm swung, a sharp slicing sound filled the air.

    It was cut. Fen’s shadow.

    ······!

    Fen’s entirely black, two-dimensional shadow screamed silently despite having no mouth. After all, it had been slashed by the Blood-Stained Dagger, rich with countless deadly diseases.

    ······?! ······!! ······!?!

    Fen’s shadow saw the Blood-Stained Dagger in Oliver’s hand and began to thrash silently.

    And it was no surprise since only days before, it had been wounded by the same dagger.

    ‘Even more so if it hasn’t healed yet.’

    And this time, it had been cut five more times. The shadow was now in extreme panic.

    Noticing the shadow’s unusual state, Unbent Knee approached holding a soul in his mangled hands, trying to buy time.

    “What’s that dagger?”

    “A dagger… with a touch of Disease-Weakness Death Magic.”

    “Are you originally skilled at using blades?”

    “Just a little.”

    “Then why haven’t you used it against me?”

    Unbent Knee asked with genuine curiosity. It was understandable, as Oliver’s skillful use of the dagger against the shadow was extraordinary, almost surreal.

    “Well… Blades are too sharp to use them on people… and now it’s imbued with death magic.”

    In other words, it was too dangerous to use.

    Fen’s shadow silently asked why it had been used twice against him.

    A language only creatures could understand. Oliver understood and replied.

    “Uh… because you’re not a person?”

    ······.

    Fen’s shadow opened non-existent eyes wide, staring at Oliver. It was a simple, obvious answer, but it still hurt to hear.

    Sensing the shadow’s emotions, Oliver wondered if he made a mistake and apologized, politely asking what was wrong.

    However, the furious shadow didn’t respond and instead silently screamed, pushing its body to the limit, ignoring the disease-imbued death magic, while opening multiple massive portals to summon countless creatures.

    The creatures that emerged from the shadows included not only toy soldiers and chick soldiers but also Boogeymen with long arms and Nutcrackers armed with elegant swords.

    As the creatures poured in from all directions, the Holy Knights unleashed holy light, spreading it across the battlefield, stalling the creatures’ advance, and the Pinkman formed a line to support them.

    Amidst this, Team Leader Ricky made a remarkable move by chopping off a chick soldier’s neck with his axe. A hen’s head popped out from the severed neck, transforming into a full-grown chicken, laying an egg on the spot that hatched into another chick soldier.

    “That’s disgusting.”

    A Boogeyman, draped in a skunk cape, slipped into the cracks of the surrounding objects with its thin body, using its long arms to capture a Pinkman and dragged him through the gap. Meanwhile, clowns descended from the ceiling for a blitz attack.

    Oliver also fought against the creatures using death magic enhanced by artificial souls, but there were too many. Some of them were using human corpses and souls as materials, forcing him to retreat gradually towards the center.

    ‘Hmm, should I use it? I’d rather hold off a bit longer…’

    While Oliver contemplated this, the Holy Knights started sharing power amongst themselves and chanted with all their might.

    [Purifying Flame]

    The radiant light that had been stalling the creatures’ advance grew even brighter, forming golden flames that began to burn everything around, from the creatures to the Red Ones’ black wizards, and even the intestines.

    It was one of the most powerful and far-reaching holy powers Oliver had ever seen. The creatures made with human souls suffered severe damage, and the intestine tunnel agonized as it tried to expand the space to flee from the flames.

    Oliver thought this might finally calm Fen’s rage and drive him back. Fen indeed began closing the shadow portals. But that was a mistake.

    Instead of closing the portals, Fen reached back into the intestine corridor, seizing control and unleashing a dozen indescribable creatures.

    “Bloop Bloop. Bang!”

    A boy in a skunk cape riding one of these indescribable creatures cheered loudly, with an innocent smile.

    Chapter Summary

    Oliver and his group engage in a fierce battle against black wizards and their creatures. Using various skills and tactics, both sides push each other to the limit. As the Holy Knights unleash a powerful holy flame, the creatures and black wizards are burnt away. However, Fen, controlling shadows, pushes back with a torrent of monsters. With chaos all around, Oliver considers revealing his trump card.

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