Chapter 221: Hailyn
Julia looked up into the sky and extended her hand. A golden crystal, wrapped in a gauntlet, floated into her palm.
It looked just like an eye, but instead of a frigid sensation, a warm sensation went throughout her hand. Starting with her palm, the warmth moved quickly throughout her body, curing both small and large wounds.
Julia, realizing the incredible healing power, turned her gaze to the blonde woman, Elenora.
“What a tremendous power…… from just one person?”
“I heard that she is a priestess who was granted the highest holy power in history, but she’s amazing. Isn’t she?”
Lexi stood next to Julia and exclaimed in admiration. The light emitted by Elenora continued to sweep away the black clouds.
The cathedral’s priests and bishops had also accomplished miracles that transformed the weather for several days, but this was only feasible with the assistance of over 100 people, a specific building known as a cathedral, and various sacred objects.
The power of the relics weakened and the priests’ stamina dwindled, leading to a sudden return of the blizzard. However, Elenora single-handedly drove it back.
Fwooooooosh……
The clouds over the canyon were quickly pushed thousands of meters away, and an equivalent number of zombies were cleaned when exposed to sunshine.
The powerful upper-level undead retreated by shrouding themselves in black mist to avoid the sunlight.
Soon, the undead, who had been spewing out black mist from the flag, retreated as well. After retrieving the flag, they hid in the shadows of the canyon.
People’s gazes quickly shifted to one side. Russell and the Death Knight, who were dressed in the darkest black fog, were fighting in the midst of the battlefield, with the draugrs, who had begun fighting, serving as the major players.
As the corpses fighting each other vanished into thin air as a result of the sunlight and Elenora’s holy energy waves, the draugrs returned to their original mission.
They began their qualification fight. Spears and axes, swords, and shields flew at each other, creating a violent atmosphere as they fought for each other’s lives.
The swords’ reflections flashed dozens, if not hundreds, of times in the afternoon sunlight.
There were less than twenty deaths left, and even they were dying swiftly.
Men and women with severed necks, gaping holes in their chests, or bodies missing limbs dropped to the ground.
Kuwoooong!
People’s gazes shifted to one side again. The figures of Russell and the Death Knight, who had been confronting each other, had vanished.
“W, What? Where did they go?”
“Over there!”
The troops, having looked around twice, gestured to one side.
A vast cloud of dust ascended from a location far away from the battlefield as cliffs bent and tumbled with steep slopes, making a complex maze of falling rocks.
“Russell…!”
“Don’t think about interfering rashly, Princess. You’ll die if you get in the way.”
Lexi halted Julia, who was preparing to mount Kry’s saddle, immediately. Calia, who had landed beside her with her red wings folded, nodded.
“The dark elf is right. Did you say you were the princess of the empire? My name is Calia. I’ve known Russell for a long time, and I know what kind of man he is. If you trust him, now is the time to gather the remaining soldiers and prepare for the next battle. I’m more worried about the Death Knight than Russell.”
“Did you say you’re worried about that knight? Why such a monster……?”
Calia turned her head. Julia likewise moved her head to follow Calia’s stare, which seemed to convey both pity and sadness. Elenora stood there, her light turned out.
She appeared fatigued, but her head was held high as she gazed at Russell and the Death Knight.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
As the dazzling sunshine hit him, the Death Knight faltered and dropped to one knee.
As soon as his knee struck the ground, black fog surged up like tentacles and soaked into his armor.
The Death Knight rose up slowly, without saying anything.
The armor on his greatly dented right side instantly expanded and reverted to its previous configuration. The Death Knight tilted his head left and right, then gripped his longsword.
The Death Knight, who had placed his left foot forward and his right foot back, vanished from that location.
The Death Knight came with black smoke directly above Russell’s head and swung his sword down.
Kwaang!
Russell quickly rotated his body, raised his greatsword from bottom to top, and received it in the air.
The Death Knight lingered in the air for a brief moment as a result of the force applied from below and above.
But unlike Russell, who was standing on solid ground, the Death Knight had a clear limit.
Kuwong!
As Russell channeled his magic, the ground he was standing on sank in. At the same time, a rebound force from beneath his feet exploded from Russell’s sword.
The Death Knight, who had met the greatsword, twisted his body in the air and slashed ferociously. Death rained down like rain, faster than Russell’s eyes could keep up with it.
Colorful sparks flew in all directions as attacks were exchanged on the ground and in the sky.
The Death Knight, who had deflected Russell’s sword strike and remained suspended in the air, briefly lost his grip on the greatsword. From Russell’s other hand, which was not holding the greatsword, a pure white axe suddenly surged out.
Before the Death Knight could defend, Final Frost struck his left leg.
Jjejejejejeok!
It froze instantly. Frost fell from the icy air into the path of the axe, causing the Death Knight’s left leg to freeze solid and collapse to the ground.
Russell’s greatsword fell on the Death Knight, who was unable to move since his leg had frozen solid like a white statue.
The greatsword, which dropped more sharply and cruelly than a guillotine blade, seemed about to cleave the knight’s upper and lower body in two.
Kwaaaang!
In a second, the Death Knight unleashed an immense shock wave. The tremendous aura that exploded from within destroyed the frost that had frozen his left leg and sprang forth, spinning like a whirlwind and resembling a skewer.
The high-speed onslaught, which was so fast that it was impossible to notice that it had exploded, targeted Russell’s key areas, each of which resembled the tip of a twisted wire.
However, at that point, Russell immediately moved his wrist from swinging down his greatsword to raise the blade in front of him.
Tteodeodeodeung!
The ground trembled, and the air vibrated. The masses of aura that impacted with each path the greatsword took shattered into fragments, leaving the surroundings black.
At the same time, the Death Knight, who had regained control of his left leg, charged with a gray aura that engulfed his entire being.
Gray aura gathered on his black longsword, forming a large sword energy, which was then swung.
The gray afterimage drawn in the air was so fast that Russell did not confront it head-on.
Despite repelling hundreds of people, Russell refused to back down and stood firm. He stepped forward and opened his eyes.
The magic circuits, already heated to the max, pulsated intensely once more, pumping magic, the ends reaching Russell’s two eyes.
A purple light encircled his irises and produced a glow. At the same moment, the restrictions that had always been imposed on his magical sight faded away one by one.
His vision greatly fluctuated, as if lenses were being removed, and the world around him changed. The flow of magic became more distinct, taking on a texture he could almost grasp. The knight’s sword, drawn from right to left, traced the trajectory of the future.
Russell moved as his cognitive powers grew at an exponential rate. A line was drawn in a space where time seemed to have paused. A dark greatsword drew a solid black line in the air.
It’s like taking a step when diving deep in the sea, moving your head, drawing your shoulders back, and then swinging your arms; even the smallest movement feels like a huge weight.
The air itself obstructed movement in a place that appeared to forcibly hold back time. Russell’s greatsword moved as he ripped through the pressure that ordinary people would struggle to feel until they died.
Kwadeuk, kwadeudeuk!
The Death Knight’s armor broke apart piece by piece. It couldn’t resist the massive impact and force.
The Death Knight, too, battled fiercely against the continuous attack.
The black fog that rose from beneath his feet spiraled up like a skewer once again, and an aura-created wall and bone spears were summoned to try to hold Russell back.
Before they knew it, their battlefield had transformed into a graveyard. As the Death Knight raised his feet, the corpses and piles of bones spread about, vibrated, and then detonated.
Peopeopeopeopeung!
Green flames appeared, and an acidic liquid that dissolved even rocks was sprayed.
Uuuuuuu-!
The resentment that had melted into the dirt was violently removed and spewed out, upsetting Russell’s logic.
However, every time this happened, Russell’s new eyes flashed on the spot, rendering all attacks worthless.
Jjeoreung!
The wall, sword, and spears made of bones were broken into hundreds of pieces and scattered, and the green flames speckled with strong heat were restrained by the cold.
The acid swamp that had developed beneath Russell’s feet and was attempting to melt him completely froze solid in an instant and broke.
Russell fell before the sound-based mental attack reached his ears.
The Death Knight retreated rapidly, leaving no time to breathe.
The knight was continually disturbed by the powerful and fast attacks, which demolished any means of defense he had.
Pieces of destroyed armor slowly revealed the pale flesh of a human being.
He readily handled and swung the ax and greatsword with both hands, but the flesh inside was unharmed.
On the contrary, he only used gentle and controlled strikes, as if he were touching a glass sculpture that would shatter if he touched it too forcefully, and took off the armor.
When the Death Knight attempted to spread black magic in all directions and flee, Russell’s eyes gleamed anew.
“I got you.”
Kwaddeudeudeudeud!
The mystical power that began with Russell’s left foot as he took a stride forward ascended up the soil.
The magical power that dug up the ground quickly enveloped and tightened the Death Knight, much like dozens of plows working the earth.
Pajijijijik!
As electricity was added to the magical force, a lightning whip with a form emerged and bound the Death Knight, clutching onto his limbs.
“……!”
In a second, the Death Knight, whose entire body was bound by the electric whip, twisted and screamed silently.
“Whew, it’s not easy to subdue someone without killing them. Especially against this kind of guy.”
Even under the electric constraint, which would have instantly converted a person into charcoal, the Death Knight continued to struggle.
The explanation for this was in his helmet. The knight had a dismal appearance.
The greaves, breastplate, and cuirass were all broken apart, leaving just some shoulder blades and a small portion of the entire plate. All that was left were his underwear and black-dyed clothing.
Russell, who noticed a faint pattern of a priest’s garb on those clothes, shook his head slightly and approached.
It had been a difficult struggle, but Russell had dominated and surrounded the knight the entire time.
The Death Knight’s use of dark magic and aura was dangerous, but he had yet to strike an effective hit on Russell.
It was only natural. The Death Knight’s dark magic and aura were nothing more than naked bodies in front of Russell’s magical eyes, yet his greatsword and ax could directly target the magical energy and deliver effective hits.
The combination of enhanced cognitive abilities via magic eyes, a strong physical physique, huge magical power, and weapons that were difficult to break could bring down even the Death Knight, one of the undead’s pinnacles.
Russell grasped the Death Knight’s head after driving his greatsword and axe into the earth one after the other.
Only one helmet survived intact from the rest of the armor. Russell had swung his greatsword at it numerous times, but the helmet had not been damaged and still covered his head and face.
Inside it, there was not a human face, but a darkness akin to an endless abyss, and a bright green glare.
Chijijijijik!
Russell felt a violent recoil in his hand on the helmet as an aura and dark magic attempted to push it away.
However, Russell increased his magical power while blazing his magic eyes even brighter. The flow of aura, which had previously been drab, became apparent.
Uuuuuung!
Russell unleashed a powerful wave of magic, destroying everything in its path.
And as he grabbed the helmet, he applied force to his hand, starting to crush the helmet.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!
Then the helmet let forth a piercing scream. The Death Knight’s struggle became more intense, but the electrical chains that held his neck, shoulders, arms, and wrists refused to let go.
Shuuaaaaaaaaaa……!
Russell’s hand began to slowly take off the helmet. The Death Knight’s struggle eventually subsided.
And as soon as he removed the helmet fully, the body inside lost all strength and slumped to the ground.
Russell glanced attentively at the helmet he had picked up.
Two horns protrude from the temples, a nose, and a facial guard that entirely covers the lips. The aura emanating from the helmet persisted and vibrated repeatedly, as if yearning for a new owner.
━……! ……!
Russell chuckled as he heard a whisper in his ear and grabbed the helmet with both hands.
“I don’t need it, you piece of junk.”
The helmet snapped in half, making a creepy sound like metal being shredded. At the same time, the massive resentment that had been imbued in the helmet surged upwards.
Russell, who was watching calmly, lowered his head. Hailyn, who had lost all strength and slumped, was present.
The sound of tapping footsteps could be heard, and Elenora and Jess rushed over, kneeling beside Hailyn.
“Ugh, Hailyn-nim……!”
“Brother!”
Hailyn had lost all of his previous weight and had become gaunt. He had lost all of the power that had motivated him as the Death Knight.
Hailyn’s pupils began to open gradually at this point.
“……I see familiar faces. Are you guys dead too, or am I still alive?”
“You’re alive! Hailyn-nim, are you okay?”
“Instead of this, heal……”
While Jess wept tears and inquired about his well-being, Elenora placed her two hands on Hailyn’s chest and triggered her heavenly power.
Russell, who had been examining Hailyn’s upper body, looked up. His gaze met Hailyn’s.
“Long time, no see. Sir Paladin.”
“…… Yes, Russell-nim. It’s been a long time, indeed. I’m sorry to see you like this.”
“Things happen in life.”
Elenora spoke in a shaky voice as she used her holy power to repair Hailyn’s body.
“This, this can’t be. It’s not supposed to be like this, why……”
“Sister. It seems Lutheon took pity on me. I’m glad I was able to see all the familiar faces before going to his side.”
Russell looked at Hailyn’s body, confirming how bad his condition was. His body, due to being steeped in aura for too long, was no longer considered that of a living person.
The rotting muscles and skin were dissolving from the inside, and the heart wasn’t beating correctly. In a state in which his fundamental vitality had totally vanished, he removed his helmet just in time.
“H, Hailyn-nim…”
“Jess. When I first heard that you had become my squire, I was blunt when I said that I wondered when I would make you a proper paladin. But I’m so proud of you now. Be proud of yourself. You’re a paladin.”
Hailyn, who had been looking at Jess, now looks at Elenora.
“Elenora. Forgive your brother, who did not realize how much responsibility you had taken on as a saintess, even though you were recognized by the church. I thought I had given you many missions for your life, but now that I think about it, it seems that it was just for my own satisfaction. Putting aside your faith and faithfulness to God, please pay attention to your own life as well.”
Hailyn, who had received Elenora’s distant nod, eventually looked up to Russell.
“Seeing countless devils crossing the darkness and the other side of the church, I often wondered if this world was really okay as it is.”
Hailyn’s body slowly began to crumble. The crumbling, which started from his toes and fingertips, gradually sped up.
“But I think I found the answer when I met someone.”
“……”
“I’m so glad you’re here…”
Soon, Hailyn’s body completely crumbled into ashes. Jess and Elenora, kneeling with their backs to the sunlight, clutched those ashes tightly.
‘What comes after death?’
Even Russell, who had already died once and was reborn with memories of his past life, could not easily answer that question.
He could only hope that Hailyn had arrived at the place he longed for, as long as God exists.
Russell took in his surroundings, which were peaceful.
Soldiers, priests, and paladins, standing far away, not knowing what to do. And Julia, Lexi, Calia, and Aellasis were also visible.
On one side, he could see the last draugr, who had just chopped off the head of another draugr with his ax. The draugr, with his black hair and naked, muscular figure, was heavily breathing.
Russell, who was watching all of this, bent his head and addressed Jess and Elenora.
“Take the ashes. There may be a space within the church where he can be enshrined.”
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