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Paellito stayed still for some time to recover his vision and hearing.
However, Jin and his party were unable to take advantage of that opening for attack. They also needed time to readjust their stances.
Dante was coughing up blood due to the strain of forcefully using the overlord sword, while Hedo was trying to regain his senses, which were distorted by the Netherworld Sword and the Flash Cannon.
"Your teeth... Yes, you didn't reach here solely through the authorities you obtained by luck."
Tuk-!
Paellito resumed his attacks first.
His vision, damaged by the Flash Cannon, had already fully recovered.
Whenever Paellito released his sword energy, afterimages remained in all directions.
"Jin, don't worry about me. Focus on your area!"
Hedo was unable to properly deflect the sword energy that scratched all over his body.
However, the reason he requested this was because he knew that Jin was not as strong as before when his illuminating heart was fine.
But there was no time to answer. Jin deflected the sword energy flying towards him.
The crescent-shaped sword energy poured to the left and Jin slashed but the impact was fully absorbed by Bradamante's blade and rattled his whole body.
"But that doesn't mean you can defeat me. You can't even escape from me with this weakened body, Jin Runcandel."
Jin felt his bones and flesh rupturing from the inside but they didn't rupture at all.
Even though the illuminating heart lost its function, Jin still had the blessed body of Runcandel and the physique that he had been trained every day from the beginning. And the will to move that body.
"Don't underestimate humans, Paellito. Although we may not live for thousands of years like you, there are people here who will never fade away."
"It sounds quite convincing, but words alone have no power. If you want to overcome this reality, you need to have a power stronger than me."
Paellito crouched down and made a downward slash.
Jin and his comrades naturally assumed that Paellito intended to intensify his sword energy in all directions as he gathered his strength for the next strike.
Therefore, they swiftly deployed their protective shields, but the next moment everyone opened their eyes in shock because Paellito wasn't targeting them.
Sword Demon Style: Ultimate Technique
Heavenly Destruction Slash, 1st form
Haaaaa-!
Paellito shouted and slashed toward the sky.
It was the confrontation between the Great Ice Shield of Talaris and the barrier of Ayula, which covered most of the Holy Queendom's sky, and Paellito's slash.
The moment Heavenly Destruction Slash was unleashed, Jin and his comrades inadvertently raised their heads to witness the spectacle.
A colossal sight that had never been seen before, not recorded in any history.
The cross-shaped sword energy divided the sky into four sections.
Heavenly Destruction Slash didn't target the Belliam Great Plain but cast a sharp shadow over the entire territory of the Holy Queendom.
[Khaaaah!]
Murakan screamed in shock.
Even though the protective shield of shadow force that he had precast blocked the shock once, it felt like all the scales on his body were about to fall off.
Moreover, Heavenly Destruction Slash didn't directly hit Murakan.
What made Murakan scream was the shock wave generated by Heavenly Destruction Slash.
Jin and his party sensed that everything in front of them was turning white and instinctively thrust their swords into the ground to withstand the immense force of the storm that had formed along with Heavenly Destruction Slash.
However, the ground was collapsing under the force of Paellito's Heavenly Destruction Slash.
The ground was upheaving like a raging sea, and flowed like soft dough.
Their senses dimmed as if they had been thrown into a vacuum.
Everyone called out and searched for each other, but all they could see was a space that had turned entirely white or black.
Jin, Murakan, Hedo, Dante.
If they didn't possess this level of power, they would have already disintegrated without a trace and scattered.
"Huh...!"
How much time had passed?
Jin finally heard his own voice.
When Jin exhaled the breath he had been holding, it felt like blood was splattering out of his body like thunderbolts. His hair stood on end, and his body stiffened.
In other words, Jin was vulnerable for a moment.
If Paellito had charged at that moment, Jin wouldn't have been able to defend against it, and he surely would have lost his life.
His comrades were in the same state and their consciousness had momentarily faded.
Fortunately, Paellito hadn't attacked them during that time.
In just two sword strikes, Paellito had divided the sky into four sections, and he had no time to do anything else.
"Huff."
Paellito took a deep breath and looked at the sky where Heavenly Destruction Slash had just passed through.
He saw the remnants of Ayula's barrier, which had completely begun to collapse, with his eyes darkened by madness.
The barrier was split into a cross shape, and it scattered golden energy debris.
Until just a moment ago, that energy had protected the Holy Queendom under Ayula's will. But now, the debris falling like a snowstorm over the entire Holy Queendom has become a disaster in itself.
Thud! Thud!
The falling fragments struck the Holy Queendom's land like unyielding meteors, digging deep into it.
Buildings crumbled as the fragments hit them, and the people inside them disappeared without a trace due to the heat and impact.
Most of them didn't even realize their moment of death.
In some ways, it might have been better to meet their end that way. There would be no pain or sadness to experience.
Those lucky enough to avoid the debris or those within the protective shields raised by the saints now faced the horrifying sight of people dying indiscriminately in various places from the golden energy fragments.
And as soon as Ayula's barrier collapsed, the demons that had escaped through the fractures started a large-scale invasion on the surface.
"It's time to retrieve the eye of Lord Zito! Kill every human you see!"
"Pain will lead you to order! Today, we shall claim the surface!"
Countless demons were rushing to the surface, riding on the remnants of the barrier.
They massacred ordinary humans more easily than crushing insects.
They grabbed those trying to escape by the neck, tearing their heads off, and crushed the back of the people who were lying down.
Hell had opened in the Holy Queendom.
Ah...
Jin couldn't witness the scene directly from the Belliam Great Plain. However, even without seeing it, Jin knew what was happening.
The sight of innocent people crying out Ayula's name only to be ruthlessly silenced, the despair and agony that had descended upon the Holy Queendom, the terror of those being slaughtered—Jin could sense it all.
It was tearing Jin's insides apart, more sharply and fiercely than Paellito's sword, which had threatened his life.
No torture could be more terrible than this. His trembling pupils felt like they would melt, and tears welled up uncontrollably.
But no matter how many tears he shed, no matter how much he suffered, this despair would not be washed away. And Paellito was keenly observing Jin.
The Vamel alliance had always prioritized protecting ordinary people, and the True Demon World was well aware of that fact.
"Jin Runcandel. I can feel your sorrow clearly. But no matter how much I think about it, I can't understand. Why are you so agonized over the deaths of these insignificant bugs that have nothing to do with you? How dare you feel as much pain as I did over losing Sakiel...!"
Paellito's face was stained with tears of blood as he shouted. Then he spit out a handful of blood and covered his mouth
A sense of weeping and loss was welling up within him. The poison of sorrow and loss was creeping in.
The death of Sakiel was a poison that he couldn't vomit out no matter how much he tried.
Kelliark had seen through his thoughts even more accurately than Paellito himself.
Looking at the fresh blood in his palm, Paellito let out a hollow laugh and wiped his hand.
"I cannot acknowledge that sorrow. You shouldn't be agonizing over something as trivial as this, Jin Runcandel. The price you pay for Sakiel's death should be far more gruesome."
Jin listened to Paellito's voice from the crevice in the cracked ground.
Unlike Paellito, Jin did not cry. He can cry after the battle ends. And it had to when no one could see him.
The first thing Jin looked for was the communication device in his pocket. Even within the shell of ancient everlasting steel, there were visible signs of damage and wear.
The device still didn't work even though they had left the blocking area formed by Paellito.
"Murakan!"
Jin shouted as he climbed up the crack.
Immediately, Paellito's energy projectiles flew towards him, and Jin ducked down to confirm the location of his comrades.
Dante and Hedo were more than a thousand steps away. They had also started moving, but due to Paellito's demonic energy and swordsmanship, they couldn't easily approach the center of the battlefield.
Murakan emerged from the torn shadow force shield, and transformed back into a human form as he descended to Jin.
"Go to the Holy Queen's Palace for support."
"What did you say?"
"If the Holy Queen's Palace collapses now, they will get Zito's eye. Madame Talaris won't be in good shape either, so you have to go."
"Even though my close combat capability is limited due to fear of losing shadow force, I should be here when we need to retreat..."
"People are dying. We can't fight while thinking about what comes next. Whether we retreat to the Holy Queen's Palace and Zito's eye is taken away or die here at the hands of Paellito, it's the same."
"Damn it."
"Anyway, if Ridolos and Videluce are summoned together from that large fracture, or if only Ridolos comes out, you can come back here. But if only Videluce is summoned, you have to protect the Holy Queen's Palace no matter what."
Ridolos Trinak, Videluce Aan. The two strongest demons in the True Demon world, after Paellito.
"..... Kid, it seems like the summoning just finished now, right?"
Jin and Murakan looked up at the sky.
Unfortunately, the only demon who emerged from the large fracture was Videluce Aan.
As soon as Videluce came out, he looked down at the Belliam Great Plain and smirked.
"Oh my, Paellito. Having fun with interesting kids, huh? Oh, he is that bastard who killed Sakiel?"
Despite his playful tone, his voice carried the energy and echoed throughout the battlefield.
"Go and retrieve the eye of Lord Zito, Videluce."
"Oh, I'd love to have a taste, but I can't lay a hand on your prey, can I? Take your time and enjoy it. I'll take good care of Lord Zito's eye."
Paaah-!
Videluce spread his wings and flew across the dark sky.
"Hurry, follow him!"
Murakan gritted his teeth and transformed back into his true form and chased after Videluce.
At this speed, Videluce would reach the Holy Queen's Palace in an instant and kill Talaris and Lani.
[Don't die, kid!]
Without responding, Jin tightened his grip on his sword to face the approaching Paellito.
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