Chapter 183: Unstoppable Malice
{TL: By Creed}
"That's mine! It's mine, so back off, back off, back ooooooff!!!"
"Aaaahhh! You’re all my enemies! Stay away, stay the hell away!"
"Damn it, damn it, damn it! Why is this happening?! I'm supposed to be the best—ME!!"
When I arrived at the scene, it was utter chaos.
Bloodshot eyes, foaming mouths—countless people screaming in rage.
They were brandishing swords wildly, shouting incomprehensible things.
The knights and adventurers were working together to suppress them, but it wasn’t going well.
That was because many people were still trapped, unable to escape.
Some were frozen in fear, unable to move.
Children, lost and crying.
Injured people who couldn't walk.
Fighting while protecting these civilians made it impossible to gain the upper hand.
If purgatory existed, it might look like this.
That’s how terrible the situation was.
"That… that's a cursed sword!"
Every one of the raging individuals was wielding a cursed sword.
It was a different type from the ones I had seen before.
But there was no mistaking that ominous aura.
"Fate! I’ll handle these people!"
"Okay. Then I’ll help those who are still trapped!"
"Please do! Licorice, take care of Aisha and Snow!"
"Leave it to me!"
Sofia was the first to move.
She kicked off the stone pavement with such force that cracks formed beneath her feet.
Her acceleration was so extreme, it felt like she had teleported.
And then—her sword was drawn.
"Divine King Dragon Sword Art, Fourth Form… Lotus Bloom!"
With a single flash of her holy sword, she struck down and cleaved through a cursed sword held by one of the frenzied attackers.
She then executed a sharp turn with a sudden stop, using the momentum to deliver a powerful kick to the attacker’s side.
"!?!!"
The attacker collapsed without even managing to scream.
I could hear the sound of bones breaking, but he was still alive.
Then, Sofia stepped on his leg and broke it completely.
Some might see this as excessive, but it was necessary to render him completely immobile.
"Next! Come at me!"
Sofia let out a fierce roar and readied her holy sword, Excalibur.
The frenzied attackers hesitated for a moment.
But then, like wild beasts, they all lunged at her at once.
There were more than ten of them.
Even for Sofia, that was—
—No. There was no need to worry.
"Haaaaaaah!!"
Sofia danced through the battlefield, both elegant and relentless.
Her sword flashed as she tore through the attackers one after another.
They collapsed like leaves caught in a storm.
Their swords were shattered, their bones broken, leaving them completely incapacitated.
She was incredible.
Absolutely incredible.
This was the power of a Sword Saint.
I thought I knew how strong Sofia was, but seeing it firsthand left me speechless.
I wanted to reach that level.
No—
I wanted to stand beside her.
That desire burned within me.
That said, admiration could wait.
Right now, saving lives had to come first.
"Are you okay?!"
I helped the immobilized people and guided them away from the beach.
It wasn't just the knights and adventurers—civilians also pitched in, making the evacuation go more smoothly than expected.
However, the number of frenzied attackers wasn’t decreasing.
Even though Sofia was taking them down at an incredible pace, reinforcements seemed to be appearing from nowhere, making total suppression a distant goal.
"Licorice-chan, Ultra Mega Fire!"
I turned to see that attackers had also reached Aisha and the others.
Licorice unleashed her magic in an attempt to drive them back… but even as they burned, they kept advancing.
Their bloodshot eyes were wild, and they swung their swords without any sense of control.
They had completely lost their reason.
"Take this!"
Divine King Dragon Sword Art, Fourth Form—Lotus Bloom.
Compared to Sofia, my technique wasn’t nearly as sharp.
Even so, it was effective enough to bring down one of the attackers.
"Hey, Fate! These guys are seriously messed up! Their eyes are completely gone!"
"It's too dangerous to stay here! Licorice, take Aisha and Snow and retreat to the guild—wait."
I calmed myself and listened closely.
Screams were coming from the city as well.
Could it be…? Was the chaos not just on the beach but spreading through the streets too?!
"This… this is really bad…"
"Y-yeah… What in the world is happening…?"
It felt as if an unfathomable malice was sweeping through the city.
TL Note: Plague?
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