Chapter 158
The tremors began to be felt as the cultist met his death.
Franz’s magic, which had explored deep beneath the water’s surface, was telling him.
This island they were stepping on was the body of a monster, and only a tiny fraction of it at that.
RUMBLE - !
With a massive vibration, the sea level churned, and the land slowly began to sink.
“Franz, what are you going to do?”
Hera asked in a calm tone.
Not losing her cool even in such a confusing situation was very much like Hera.
It wasn’t just her; everyone’s gaze was directed at Franz.
They were all waiting for his instructions.
‘This reminds me of my Hero’s Party days…’
Back then, analyzing the battle situation and giving orders was entirely Franz’s job.
It wasn’t exactly something he wanted to do.
It was just that all the party members acted on their own and did whatever they pleased, so he had no choice but to step up and take charge.
But if he hadn’t given orders just because it was annoying, they might have all died at the hands of the Four Generals.
Anyway, because the island was sinking rapidly, there was no time to explain things leisurely.
Snap - .
As Franz snapped his fingers, everyone’s bodies rose into the air.
“Hya?!”
“Ugh?”
Each showing their own reaction, the women all grabbed the hems of their skirts. They were anxious that their underwear might show.
Franz wasn’t oblivious why they were acting like that, but right then, there was no other way.
He couldn’t exactly let them sink into the sea just to protect their underwear.
“It sank completely…”
“Then Franz, won’t you explain things now?”
The island had already sunk beneath the sea, and Franz and the group were floating Doongsil-doongsil in the sky.
Franz, who was observing the monster’s movements continuously through magic detection, decided to save his words.
They would find out soon enough even if he didn’t say it.
“It’s coming.”
As soon as the short words left his lips, a dark shadow began to be cast from beneath the sea.
Soon after, something surged up, accompanied by a massive spray of water.
“W-what is that…?”
“The true identity of the island we were stepping on”
It had a long body that seemed to be easily several miles long, vertically slit eyes like those of a reptile, and hard scales covering its body.
Looking more like a dragon than a snake, the creature floated its massive body in the air, facing Franz.
Under that overwhelming presence, ordinary people wouldn’t even be allowed to stand.
Swaaaaa - .
The seawater pouring from the sky like rain was blocked by the transparent shield and flowed down.
At that moment, Yusti-ah, who had been staring blankly at the creature, spoke.
“I think I know what that is…! It was said that a finger that fell off the Demon God became hostile to the Goddess…?”
Franz, who had studied the history of the Goddess Church with her, could immediately recall it.
The atrocious disasters the Demon God birthed into the world were one of the three.
“…Is it leviathan?”
“That’s right. I didn’t think it would actually be real…!”
In truth, Franz also had his doubts.
Isn’t that how the history spoken of in religion usually is, anyway?
Making up things that never happened, and exaggerating things that did, is done to use as material for faith.
It’s just that since there’s no means to prove it, no one takes issue with it.
“I naturally thought they saw something like a saltwater crocodile and exaggerated it in their writings…”
The creature right in front of his eyes was more than what he had read in texts, so it could be said that it was actually underestimated.
“Franz, what are you going to do?”
In fact, from the moment the creature appeared, there was only one option.
“We kill it here.”
Even if they retreated, it was something they would eventually have to do after going around in circles.
The executives would gather to hold a summit, and the Hero’s Party staying in the empire would be told to do this and that.
It felt a bit unsatisfactory because it seemed like he was doing it too willingly, but he could just demand the reward later.
Nothing in the world is free.
“Arian, Yusti-ah, you two head to land and prepare the defenses. We don’t know what will happen if this guy goes on a rampage.”
“Understood.”
“Magic Tower lord, please be careful.”
Snap - .
As Franz snapped his fingers, the two with worried expressions vanished from the spot.
Leviathan is a monster from mythology.
Since it inherited the Demon God’s power strongly enough to be called a disaster, there was no telling what would happen.
He would try to minimize the damage on this end if possible, but if that didn’t work out, the land could suffer damage.
He had sent the two of them in preparation for that.
Then it was the turn of the actual combat personnel, Yuna and Hera.
“Yuna, I’ll create footholds matching your movements, so move without worrying.”
“Got it.”
Since leviathan was floating in the air, it would be a disadvantageous fight for Yuna.
However, if she used the shields like footholds, she could close that gap as much as possible.
For an ordinary mage, it would be impossible to even follow the movements of a hero like her with their eyes, but for Franz, it was entirely possible.
“Hera, you focus solely on firepower from the rear. I’ll block its attacks somehow.”
“I don’t know if I can pierce those dragon scales, but I’ll give it a try.”
Franz erased the shields he had placed over the two, and simultaneously installed thick shields beneath their feet.
Following that, as he cut off the connected magic, the two landed softly on the shields.
“Let’s go, for the first time in a while.”
How long had it been since they fought together with everyone as the Hero’s Party?
Even when they resolved the World Tree Incident, Yuna wasn’t there, so it could truly be said that it had been a long time since all the members gathered.
“Here I go - !”
Lowering her sword diagonally, Yuna kicked off the shield and launched her body forward.
Her body, imbued with the power of a hero, advanced at high speed, scattering trails of light.
It was a bizarre sight, running through the empty air as if running on the ground.
Of course, that was all thanks to Franz creating footholds instantaneously to match her movements.
“Huu - .”
Hera let out a long breath and pulled her bowstring.
Clusters of light gathered in the air, taking the shape of an arrow.
An art combining the power of the World Tree and the power of the spirits Hera possessed.
The bowstring was pulled taut as if it would snap at any moment, and when she let go, the arrow was fired with the sound of tearing air.
Swaaaaak - !
A streak of light headed toward leviathan’s massive body.
“Hyaaaap - !”
Having arrived right next to leviathan in no time, Yuna swung her sword.
The power of the hero that destroys evil was manifested as physical force in the world through the holy sword.
A single slash was drawn across the world. Half a beat later, half of the world slid down, bordered by the slash.
It was Yuna’s full power, seen for the first time in a very long while.
BOOOOOM - !
The attacks of the two hit their mark, and with a massive roar, the air in the area was pushed away explosively.
The sea was churning as if a storm was raging.
However, the result was unexpected.
“What the, this thing is ridiculously hard…!”
“I didn’t think it would even leave a scratch…”
Leviathan just stayed in its place, as if nothing had happened.
No, perhaps this attack had driven away whatever sleep was left.
[I have awakened from a long slumber, but what is all this commotion…]
Its sharp, vertically slit pupils slowly moved and turned toward Franz.
Just the act of making eye contact brought a considerable sense of pressure.
If he hadn’t been used to combat, he would have been quickly overwhelmed.
[The era has changed much. Yet, the arrogance of humans remains unchanged. Why do you fail to understand that our standings are different? Giving up is also a freedom granted to you.]
“Because it’s freedom, we choose not to give up…!”
Yuna said that and swung her sword again. A flash of light crossed its long body.
However, the creature didn’t even flinch. It just remained there, aloof.
[Is that so. Are you the one who received the power of the gods? Yet, you are far too weak compared to those times. You are not even worth facing.]
Leviathan’s mouth opened wide, and a magic circle was drawn. Some magic circles were circular, while others were pentagonal.
Nine magic circles were stacked in layers like that; a caster had cast 9th Circle Magic simply by opening their mouth.
“Yuna! Over here - !”
At Franz’s urgent voice, Yuna hastily changed direction and joined him.
Soon after, a blue beam of light was fired from leviathan’s mouth.
Holding his staff, Franz immediately deployed a shield. Hexagonal shields stacked in layers between leviathan and Franz.
BOOOOOM - !
Upon contact with the beam, the shields shattered like pieces of glass.
The power of magic couldn’t be judged simply by the number of circles.
Even for the same 9th Circle Magic, the power varied wildly depending on how much magic power was poured into it.
Based on that point, leviathan’s current attack far exceeded the power of Roman 9th Circle Magic.
‘If I take this head-on, there won’t be anything left of me.’
Franz compressed it into a single shield and tilted it at an angle. Then, like light reflected off a mirror, the beam changed direction and headed toward the sea.
As if it were the miracle of old, the beam parted the sea, and seawater poured down from the sky like rain.
[Mage, that was excellent. Humans haven’t just been sitting idle, it seems.]
Franz swept his soaking wet hair back with his hand and thought.
‘Let’s see how long you can stay arrogant.’
If what the opponent was using was magic, even if it was magic from the Mythical Era, there was a way.