Chapter 550: A New Phase

Bzzzzzzz!!

A swarm of furious flies spread out in all directions, attacking another base of the Swan Sect hidden in a village.

This was the sixth time.

As in the previous five villages, the villagers who were also followers of the Swan Sect pulled out their hidden weapons to fight.

Of course, it was futile.

Bang!

The gunshots resonated, but only a few flies were hit. The remaining swarm overwhelmed the followers, devouring their flesh alive.

“Aaaahhh!!”

“It hurts! It hurts!!”

“It itches?!”

“My, my eyes…? Uhh!?”

“Grrrk!!”

Those bitten by the flies suffered blisters, pain, itching, blindness, and difficulty breathing.

The irregularity of symptoms threw everyone into confusion, yet it was an expected outcome.

These plague flies have been bred from the plague’s original master, a process continued until they reached the Puppet.

The diseases carried by these flies were so numerous and deadly that even their master, Puppet, couldn’t fully comprehend them all.

But the true horror of the plague flies hadn’t even begun yet.

“What, what is this?!”

A final cry of despair was heard.

It was from someone whose body, infected with disease, began decaying while still alive—and flies started emerging from his rotten flesh.

“Eeeek…!”

A scream filled with terror and disgust. This was the most frightening aspect of the plague flies—their exponential reproduction using people as hosts.

As if to prove this, the swarm only grew in size as more people fell, completely covering the village and gnawing at trees, houses, and people alike.

Only the middle-aged man with Puppet’s spirit, the Golem, and the Zombie Puppet were safe.

Fwaha-hahahaha!!

At that moment, a man wearing a Thistle Crown on his head appeared, causing massive flames to rise.

He was the seventh Prince Candidate raised by the Swan Sect, similar to the one captured in the Sleeping Forest and those kidnapped from the previous five villages.

Given that there were 11 candidates in total, they had already surpassed half of them.

“Eeek?! Pr-Prince?!”

The man half-eaten by flies was lifted by the seventh Prince Candidate.

Fear consumed the man’s emotions as he knew exactly what the Prince Candidate, known for seeking the end of the world and his expertise in human sacrifice, would do.

“Gah!! Aaaaahhh!!!”

The man caught by the seventh Prince Candidate let out a horrendous shriek as his skin began to melt like wax and turned into flame while still alive.

His flesh turned into fuel, and his blood became oil.

The flames that ignited from his flesh and blood were crimson and sticky, resembling the fires of hell.

Fwoosh!!!

The new flames merged with the existing ones, doubling their intensity. The heat and scorching winds began burning away the swarm of flies enveloping the village.

It was a smart tactic. Fire was far more effective against countless flies than bullets or clubs.

However, the seventh Prince Candidate didn’t stop there. He conjured several flaming hands and grabbed the followers who had become hosts.

His intention was clear—to use followers, who could no longer be revived, as sacrificial offerings.

“Aaaargh!!”

“Please, spare-!”

“Mommy! Oh…!”

The followers, caught by the flaming hands, screamed desperately in fear, only to turn to ash in an instant.

…

Having offered the followers as sacrifices, the seventh Prince Candidate let out a silent scream. Then, moments later, he forged intangible flames into a tangible door.

“You had this prepared already… Well, considering five have been raided excluding the Sleeping Forest, I suppose it makes sense.”

Puppet, within the body of a middle-aged man, spoke as he looked at the massive Flaming Gate, 6.35 meters tall and 3.98 meters wide.

The Flaming Gate radiated intense heat as it slowly opened, and from within the gap emerged a massive burning raven.

━━━━━━!!

The enormous raven, like a structure in itself, let out a silent roar, spread its wings wide, and resonated with the surrounding flames.

The ferocity of the flames multiplied, unleashing insane heat and waves that attempted to engulf Puppet from all sides.

That’s when it happened.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

As the flames were about to swallow Puppet, the giant Golem-Zombie Puppet, fashioned like a scarecrow, shook the giant bell attached to its staff, spreading black soundwaves.

The black soundwaves struck the burning raven’s head, breaking its momentum.

But it wasn’t over yet.

[Negate]

The Golem-Zombie Puppet chanted, through a veiled face, as the village-turned-sea of fire split in two like the Red Sea.

The flaming raven perched on its finger momentarily dimmed as if hit by a significant shock, and cracks spread throughout its skeletal frame.

Boom!

Seizing the momentum, the Golem-Zombie Puppet kicked off the ground, leaping high into the air, and brought down its staff, striking the burning raven.

A sharp ringing sound followed by a dull thud.

With each repeated blow, more cracks spread through the raven, until its wing crumbled. The swarm of flies, now massed like tendrils, infiltrated the broken gaps and began to destroy the burning raven from within.

Crash!

The burning raven collapsed with a heavy sound.

The seventh Prince Candidate, though flustered, tried to resist using any leftover flames, but was subdued by the simple yet powerful punch of the Golem-Zombie Puppet.

It was easier than expected—the Swan Sect’s so-called Prince Candidates.

Well, after all, the name was grand, but apart from enduring the cult leader’s blessing, there wasn’t much to boast about.

“It makes sense that there wouldn’t be any formidable or admirable people among those who long for the world’s end.”

Puppet, within the middle-aged man’s body, walked over to where the seventh Prince Candidate, now broken, lay, looking down on him.

These were just cheap people filled with nothing but resentment towards the world. Despite receiving immense blessings, they were too ignorant to realize it. How unfair.

Puppet stood over the seventh Prince Candidate, then looked at the Golem-Zombie Puppet, specifically at the candidate without the Thistle Crown.

This was the one captured from the Sleeping Forest. Puppet observed him for a while before reaching out and grabbing the Thistle Crown on the seventh Prince Candidate’s head, as if mimicking someone.

Squeeze…

It seemed like a simple tug would be enough to tear it off, but Puppet felt pain as he exerted force and couldn’t do so.

I was certain I had suppressed the pain. As expected, this must be something made from the essence of a demon.

“Not so easy….”

Puppet, having failed to tear off the Thistle Crown, looked ahead, lifting his gaze.

The hellfire created by the seventh Prince, using the followers as sacrifices, still surrounded them.

Surely, as the spellcaster was subdued, it should have disappeared, yet it remained.

This implied that someone else had taken over control of the flames.

To confirm Puppet’s suspicions, a path opened up in the sea of fire, revealing a shabby-looking cabin.

A cabin that remained untouched, despite the swarm of flies and the sea of fire.

Puppet muttered as he looked at the cabin.

“So, you’ve finally decided to talk.”

Dragging the captured Prince Candidates collected so far, Puppet walked the flame-laden path towards the cabin at the end.

“The Prince Candidates are weak.”

Puppet muttered as he opened the old cabin door and walked in.

Inside the dilapidated cabin sat a young girl.

A girl with her lips sewn shut, endlessly weaving nettles with her bloodied hands.

The bizarre sight was enough to tarnish even her fairy-tale-like beauty, but the girl paid it no mind, continuing to weave in silence.

…

Complete silence. However, Puppet was pleased. Just being here meant she was at least somewhat willing to talk.

After laying down the Prince Candidates in front of the girl, Puppet pulled over a scattered chair to sit comfortably and began to speak.

“First, I offer my apologies… Princess.”

The Princess continued weaving nettles in silence.

“For turning the Prince Candidates you worked so hard to create, into this state.”

The Princess continued weaving nettles in silence.

“But I’m not entirely sorry. After all, they’re not very valuable, are they? Surely, the Princess would agree.”

The Princess continued weaving nettles in silence. Meanwhile, the nearly lifeless Prince Candidates glanced up at the Princess.

The Swan Princess who convinced them they were special beings.

The Princess didn’t spare them a glance.

“No matter how much the Princess blesses them, it’s pointless if the vessel is inadequate… You must feel it too, right? The demon is beginning to descend, yet the limits of the vessel are clear. That’s why you’re searching for a new one.”

Puppet revealed something even the Prince Candidates weren’t aware of. The others were shocked, but the Princess continued weaving nettles in silence.

“That’s why I’m here. To help the Princess with your problem.”

For the first time, the Princess responded.

“I found a quite suitable Prince Candidate on the New Continent. Just like these candidates, he harbors a deep hatred for the world. However, unlike them, he possesses talent, effort, and determination…”

As Puppet trailed off, the air shattered, revealing a Red One holding a boy.

The Red One’s leg was made of flesh, and his skin was mottled with discoloration.

This was Unbent Knee, the only survivor alongside his brother from the scene where The Burned One descended.

***

Clink. Clink.

Oliver was dining in a restaurant in the capital of Gallos, Ravely, which was currently undergoing reconstruction.

Despite the massive damage from the Flesh Cook’s incident, Ravely was quickly restored, thanks to the support of magic, mechanical engineering, as well as the Archive and Pater Church.

Originally, Oliver planned to head straight to Randa after securing the Flesh Cook’s legacy, but due to the Holy Knight’s suggestion, he stayed in Gallos for a bit, observing the reconstruction.

‘How about staying a bit?’

The ironclad Holy Knight who summoned an army of over a thousand with his golden rosary had said.

The same Holy Knight who subdued mercenaries, Enjoyment Druids, black wizards, mages, and grave robbers with only his presence, without a single battle.

Intrigued by the Holy Knight’s appearance, Oliver accepted the offer, taking a break in Ravely and dining at this restaurant.

[Some people are watching us.]

Eve, who was integrated into Oliver’s shirt collar through a communication device, spoke, perceiving the surroundings using the magic flowing from the device.

Eve, having reconnected communication a few hours after they left the Sleeping Forest, talked to Oliver during the downtime, and he enjoyed these conversations.

It was all experience for Eve. And it kept Oliver from getting bored.

“Is it because my eating looks strange?”

Oliver asked while cutting his steak using his left hand and magic.

Oliver, whose right hand had been burned by The Burned One, was suppressing the pain with the help of a spirit, but gripping a knife was still difficult.

So, he manipulated his magic to craft a small Ptah’s Assistant to cut the steak for him.

It was an odd sight, which naturally drew some attention.

[That might be one reason, but I don’t think that’s all of it.]

“Really?”

Oliver replied lightly, more focused on eating as Eve spoke.

The food at the restaurant Lucian had recommended was excellent, which was particularly satisfying for Oliver, who was always hungry.

He regretted the fact that he was almost done.

He felt like eating until the restaurant’s supplies ran out.

‘Gluttony without satisfaction is a sin,’ or so the scriptures said.

Oliver recalled the scriptures given to him again by Joanna after New Continent and mused.

Although he had already read it before, he continued re-reading it whenever he had time.

He wondered what she was doing now. She said she was headed to the sect headquarters.

Just then, Eve spoke.

[It might also be that rumors have spread.]

“Huh?”

Oliver paused his meal and asked again, having a pretty good idea of what kind of rumors might have spread, from past experience.

The issue was that Oliver wasn’t particularly thrilled about it.

But bad premonitions almost never miss. Eve continued.

[Word of how you secured the Flesh Cook’s legacy, and Dave’s role in it, seems to have spread. Not just within Gallos, but outside as well.]