I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain-Chapter 710

Thesaya muttered blankly as she looked back toward the wagon, but the barbarian warriors were no longer listening to her.

"You heard her! Hurry over here!"

"Move it! We’re ready for this!"

Nearly thirty wounded men shouted over one another, their urging loud and chaotic. The priests exchanged troubled looks.

"I’m asking you," Thesaya shouted again, eyes wide. "It’s ridiculous enough that the Redhead is supposedly first, but I’m third? Then who’s second? The princess? Or don’t tell me it’s Kitty?"

A few warriors leaning against the wagon finally turned toward her. They exchanged glances, their expressions caught somewhere between baffled and awkward, lips parting as if to answer.

However, their voices never reached her.

Boom, boom, boom!

From the battlefield ahead, massive explosions erupted in succession, accompanied by searing pressure. Beyond the thickly spreading chaos blasts, writhing trails of tentacles and blazing red light flickered into view.

Thesaya merely hunched her shoulders slightly without looking over.

When the explosions subsided, she said, "I didn’t hear you. Say it aga—"

"Please stop them, Priest Miguel."

The weak voice cut in before she could finish, making Thesaya pause.

Without even turning her head, Cherwyn, her hooded cloak rippling faintly and dim sacred fire clinging to her, added, "I will try to hold on somehow."

"No, High Priestess. The Elder is right."

Miguel, his eyes twitching, glanced at Thesaya, who was letting out a low cough, and continued, "You’ve already pushed yourself far beyond your limits. We’ll honor the warriors’ request."

"I’ll have to ask the Agent of the Saint’s forgiveness for this," Cherwyn said, releasing a weary sigh.

Thesaya smacked her lips awkwardly. When Miguel nodded and looked away, the priests stepped forward.

Swoosh...

They removed their gloves, placed their right hands over their chests, and murmured prayers under their breath. Sparks gathered in their palms, and the area around the wagons grew noisy once more.

"Start with me! I’ll go first!"

"Can’t you see the hole in my gut? Wait your turn, brat!"

"My stomach and leg are both pierced. I could die any second, so I’m first!"

The priests shook their heads as they advanced, prayers still flowing from their lips.

"Everyone, bite onto something. You might break your teeth or bite off your tongue."

With their right hands glowing red hot, they bent over the cargo beds and delivered the warning. The warriors’ voices fell silent, replaced by the sound of flesh searing like a branding iron.

"Ugh... Argh!"

"Grk...."

Suppressed groans followed.

As the smell of cooking meat spread through the air, Thesaya, watching the wagon, sighed. "Let me make this clear. Ian and I aren’t in that kind of relationship, got it? I was just curious how you decided on that order."

Some warriors leaning against the cargo compartment, waiting their turn, glanced back at her. Their eyes seemed absurdly earnest, as if asking whether she was still stuck on that.

Ignoring them, Thesaya went on, "So make sure I never hear that nonsense again. If I hear one more word about who’s first or second or whatever, I’ll freeze the speaker’s tongue and—"

At that moment, the avatar’s roar burst out.

Frowning, Thesaya turned her head.

Beyond the field, writhing like a mass of hundreds upon thousands of serpents, the unreal monster’s back came into view as it howled.

Rumble—

There was no need to wonder why it had turned its back.

A crimson trail was racing around it in tight arcs. In its wake, violet tentacles, severed or blown apart, were flung into the air and scattered across the ground. Red sword-trails carved through the chaos as if etched by a blade.

Like now, while dodging the main body's attacks.

Thesaya could tell at a glance that Ian was fighting with everything he had. He wove divine sword strikes, magic, and even the Willful Grasp seamlessly into his movements. Many of the root-like tentacles spreading across the field had already been severed, yet the avatar’s roar carried little pain.

"-------!"

If anything, the creature shuddered as though caught in a surge of exhilaration.

That, however, was not why Thesaya’s eyes narrowed.

Centered on the avatar, the battlefield itself was receding and bending, little by little. Simply looking at it threw her senses out of alignment. There was no mistaking it. The entity was distorting the spacetime of the area.

Perhaps the more it suffers, the more—

Thesaya turned her head as if shaking off the lingering thought.

Ian would surely be aware of it as well.

And besides, he had an assistant born of the void. There was no doubt that it knew how to kill that avatar. Based on everything she had seen so far, it would likely be a method far more reasonable and far simpler than expected.

After all, manifesting in the material world carried that kind of meaning.

Of course, that was not the only reason she turned away.

Swoosh...

Barbarian warriors staggered to their feet, steam rising from them through the crimson divinity. Between the torn gaps in their pierced armor, an orange glow flickered along vein-like patterns. Sparks even danced around them.

"Ugh... Argh!"

The sound of flesh searing still rang out. With only four priests available, the treatment was bound to take time. It wasn’t hard to imagine what was happening beyond the wagons.

On the forearm of one warrior, who waved his left hand rimmed with flickering sparks, a palm-shaped burn mark stood out clearly.

"It’s still hot. Don’t tell me the wounds split open again once it cools."

"So what? I can move right now, can’t I?" The warrior walking ahead replied while rolling his neck.

The one whose forearm was burning nodded readily. "True. That's enough."

Following behind, he drew the sword at his waist. He had lost the spear or ax he originally used.

"Keep a proper distance and surround the brazier wagon. They’re coming from all directions," Thesaya said irritably as more warriors emerged.

Several of them halted mid-step and turned back toward her.

She twisted one corner of her mouth. "What? Don’t feel like following my orders?"

"N-no, Thi— I mean, Elder!"

"We’ll follow."

After exchanging glances, the warriors turned away, splitting left and right. Each of them wore a strange, unreadable smile at the corner of their lips.

Thesaya tilted her head slightly but said nothing as the priests climbed onto the wagon one by one.

"Huff... huff..."

"Be careful. Don’t bite your tongue."

All of them were bent forward, gasping for breath. Cold sweat soaked their clothes, and the color had drained from their faces.

Like Cherwyn, they had pushed themselves far too hard. They were not even apostles of a god. The aftereffects they might suffer could rival those of the barbarian warriors.

Of course, Thesaya didn’t concern herself with that.

Crunch... Squelch...

Her gaze had already shifted to the opposite side, toward another brazier wagon. The divine barrier there was in much the same state as this one. Cherwyn was clearly maintaining control over both.

That was likely why she was tiring so rapidly.

Even so, that side might last longer.

Thesaya nodded as she spotted Phaden, his attendant Alex, and Asme standing at a measured distance. They were clad head to toe in outrageously expensive magical gear.

Since they had not yet used it much, they would likely be able to fight with strength rivaling that of paladins for some time yet.

The princess appeared to be inside the carriage. In a situation like this, being out here would only have been a hindrance.

Sizzle—

It looked as though the same kind of treatment was being carried out over there as well, much like what was happening beside the nearby supply wagons.

The priests there had been unable to withstand the barbarian warriors’ fervent pleas. With even the wounded joining in, they would be able to hold out for quite some time.

Crunch... Splat—

That was why Thesaya swept her gaze across the area. Things with writhing, haphazardly sprouting violet tentacles were advancing. Their bodies, joints twisted at unnatural angles, had mutated into something like mucus-coated violet fibers.

Should I call them parasites?

The thought crossed her mind even as she frowned in instinctive disgust. Like Akihatara’s creations, these were clearly creatures using corpses as hosts.

Boom, boom, boom!

Roars, howls, and thunderous impacts overlapped chaotically. Before long, the barbarian warriors formed a loose ring around the wagons, maintaining a measured distance.

"Phew... Phew...."

The supply wagons were now littered with utterly exhausted priests. Soaked in sweat, they could do nothing but gasp for breath, sprawled where they had collapsed. No one urged them to rise.

"They’re coming! Get ready!"

"Don’t break formation, even if you die! Got it?"

"Even if death awaits—"

The barbarian warriors, wreathed in crimson divinity and scattering sparks, simply roared and settled into their stances.

Almost at the same time, thin veins surfaced around Thesaya’s eyes as she frowned.

"Ugh...."

Blood dripped again from one nostril. She was still in no condition to properly handle magic, let alone cast spells.

Wiping the blood away with the back of her hand, Thesaya leaned forward. "Moro. Looks like you’ll have to help too. You’re stronger than those things, aren’t you?"

Moro snorted as if it went without saying. Even so, it did not move an inch. Instead, it turned its head and gazed up toward the wall behind them.

Thesaya tilted her head slightly. She understood why Moro wasn’t moving in the very next moment.

Fwoosh— Sizzle—

The parasitic creatures crawled forward in a chaotic mass, their tentacles writhing as they pushed through the veil of sacred fire. The moment they crossed it, sacred flames spread across, burning them away.

Their tentacles burned, and even the hosts’ mutated bodies bubbled like boiling oil.

That was why Thesaya smacked her lips. If it revealed its true form now, it was clear Moro would end up in the same state.

Screech—

Even so, the parasitic creatures did not die right away as they burned. Their tentacles convulsed violently as they surged forward, still aflame, pressing toward the brazier.

Crash, clang!

What awaited them was a line of barbarian warriors blazing with red divinity, along with the weapons they swung. Though the creatures varied wildly in size depending on their hosts, the warriors charged at the nearest monsters without a moment’s hesitation.

"Karha, watch over us!"

"Oooooooo—"

The bubbling parasites were hacked apart, collapsing into sticky, melting heaps.

The warriors bared their fury and thirst for battle without restraint, yet their reason remained intact.

"Go for the torso! Aim for the body!"

"Split it apart! That’s its weak point!"

Even amid the chaos, they shouted out tactics and held their ground as they fought.

The air filled with the stench of burning flesh and rot, mixed with battle cries and the wet sounds of tearing meat.

"Tsk...."

Seated at the center of it all, Thesaya clicked her tongue. There was nothing she could do but watch. A dagger was strapped to her thigh, and a shortbow rested at her lower back, yet with her hands trembling like this, she couldn’t hope to use either properly.

And even then, only a handful of her remaining arrows could harm those parasites.

Crack! Crash!

Clenching her teeth, Thesaya looked around. Helplessness was a feeling she hated almost as much as boredom. Worse still, the tide of parasites pressing in from all sides showed no sign of ending.

"Look at me, you worm!"

"Come on, then!"

No matter how brave the barbarian warriors were under the Blessing of Battle, they couldn’t cut down dozens of enemies flooding in all at once.

That was something only a mage—or Ian—could manage.

Crash— Sizzle...

Even as their bodies burned, the parasites lashed out, wrapping their tentacles around the warriors or smashing into them. The warriors didn’t flinch at the new wounds.

Still, they were being pushed back, little by little.

Why are they so damn slow?

After glancing toward the brazier wagon on the far side, Thesaya finally frowned and turned around.

The distance to the Crimson Legion was still considerable, even as they continued to advance.

Only then did Thesaya’s eyes narrow. She finally realized that it wasn’t just what lay ahead. The space and time across the entire area were being distorted.

Boom, rumble—

At that moment, a tremendous explosion erupted from the front. The Avatar of Agony spread its wings wide and lifted its head, its entire body wreathed in roiling blasts.

"-------!"

It let out a shriek that sounded almost ecstatic.

Ian was flung backward with his Platinum Barrier raised, the impact coming the instant after Thesaya turned her head.

"My goodness...." A gasp escaped her lips. It wasn’t just because Ian’s greatsword shattered as it slammed into the ground and bounced away.

Beyond the fading shockwave, the severed tentacles that had once carpeted the area like roots were rising again.

Squelch— Squelch—

New tentacles were sprouting one after another from the cut sections.

With her mouth slightly open, Thesaya shifted only her eyes toward the crimson figure beside them.

Ian had already discarded the broken blade and, without hesitation, drawn a new sword out of thin air.

Her expression creased again, because it still wasn’t the black sword.

It was an Imperial steel longsword, forged in sacred flame by dwarf artisans. A fine weapon by any standard—but hardly something meant to face a fragment of an ancient god.

Could it be that I—

Thesaya’s gaze sharpened with meaning, but the thought went no further.

"Please... take care of the rear... Miguel...." Cherwyn’s faint voice slipped into her ears.

Thesaya blinked sharply and turned her head.

"High Priestess, what are you thinking? No—" Miguel protested through ragged breaths, but Cherwyn was already raising both arms high overhead.

Above her hooded cloak, which billowed like a raging wind, orange flames flared brighter than before.

The pillar of fire rising from the brazier, which had been thinning and wavering dangerously, suddenly blazed wide and brilliant once more.

Fwoosh—

Moments later, surging sacred fire spilled over the divine veil, pouring down and flooding the area. It blurred the battlefield from view as it spread outward like a deluge.

Sizzle—

The parasites that had forced their way inside the veil melted like tar, convulsing as they burned.

"Lu Entre!"

"Ooooooo—"

Almost at the same time, the barbarian warriors charged forward, roaring the name of the Blazing Goddess.

Moro lowered its head, steam bursting from its nostrils.

Rumble......

The flood of sacred fire that had covered the area subsided, as though snuffed out from above. The divine veil vanished, and the pillar of fire lost its strength, shrinking as it faded.

"High Priestess!"

Almost at the same moment, Cherwyn, who had been holding both arms aloft, staggered and collapsed backward. Miguel rushed forward with wide eyes and caught her in a panic. Even then, he pressed her hood down firmly, shielding her face.

Thesaya did not miss the fleeting glimpse of Cherwyn’s exposed features. In that instant, it looked as though decades of her life had been stripped away.

"We have to take care of the High Priestess! Everyone, come over!" Miguel shouted to the priests on the supply wagons as he gently lowered Cherwyn to the ground, moving with the utmost care.

Fwoosh...

As the last remnants of sacred fire dispersed, the battlefield came back into view.

Every nearby parasite had melted into sticky sludge. Their hosts were nothing more than charred husks, unrecognizable in their original forms. The area around the distant wagon looked much the same.

"Moro, we have to help Ian."

Now wasn’t the time to be watching. This was the moment she had been waiting for.

Tapping Moro’s neck, Thesaya urgently glanced back toward the red wave beyond them and added, "We have to get to Redhead. Clear us a path."

Thankfully, Moro did not ignore this request. With a roar, it raised its forelegs and turned around.

Thesaya reflexively wrapped her arms around its neck and shouted, "Move aside! Everyone, hold your positions!"

Several barbarian warriors leaped back in surprise as Moro charged straight through their ranks.

Crunch— Crack!

It trampled and burst apart the hosts that had turned into charcoal beneath its hooves. And it was not just running.

Squelch— Squelch!

It was writhing and growing once more. It was clearly preparing to break through the mass of parasites swarming ahead.

As it rapidly began to reveal its true monstrous form, Thesaya, placing one knee on the widening saddle, shouted with all her might.

"Can you hear my voice, Redhead? Get ready to run! You need to pass that divine sword of yours to Ian!"