I sent 30 of the 33 intruders to the Penitent Realm.In a short time, all of them had been judged, and their souls were already entering the cycle of reincarnation, making them one less problem.
Now… I had to deal with the remaining 3 who were still in the forest.
—Looks like today has been quite a busy day —I said, exhausted.
My voice was intimidating… and unmistakably masculine.Even so, it felt natural to me.Even if it wasn't my usual voice.
For a moment, I considered using my spiritual throne and ending everything in a more efficient way, without giving them any chance to resist…
—No.
I shook my head.
I had to be careful with how much power I used… or we would run into trouble.Especially considering that Luke wasn't with us at the moment.
I moved swiftly toward the location of the three remaining intruders.
I dodged the trees with the agility of a feline and a silence that should have been impossible, considering the environment… and my colossal size.
As if I had appeared out of nowhere, I stopped in front of them.
All three immediately went on guard.
As I got closer, I confirmed what I had already suspected.
They were all apostles.
Though I couldn't clearly distinguish their faces beneath their hoods.
—I didn't expect the nun of such a pretty church to have such a grotesque and profane true form —one of them said with a sarcastic tone.
So they had been observing me somehow without me noticing.
—And I don't recall inviting three apostles of gods I do not know into my church.
My expression remained unchanged.
Even so… I could feel it.
The tension running through their bodies.Cold sweat sliding down their backs.
I knew it.They knew it too.
They wouldn't leave here alive.
I took a step.
THOOOM!
The impact shook the ground, creating a devastating boom.
The earth trembled beneath my feet as I tensed every muscle in my body in a grotesque manner.
There was no doubt.
I was going to kill them.
All three reacted at once.
Before I could attack, two of them lunged at me.
A suicidal move.
…that immediately made sense.
The third apostle began to run.
I couldn't allow that.
I moved forward and appeared between both attackers.
They were stunned.
My speed didn't match my size.
Without giving them time to react, I swung both arms in a horizontal motion.
The impact against their ribs was brutal.
They were sent flying, crashing into the surrounding trees.
I didn't stop.
I ran after the fleeing apostle, destroying everything in my path.
Trees. Branches. Earth.
Everything gave way before me.
Like a mindless beast.
I couldn't afford to waste time.
—GRRRROOOOAH!
…
My face tensed.
Embarrassment.
I didn't like doing that.
Luke used to make fun of me for it.
But that roar disoriented the senses of those who heard it, even if only for a few moments.
It was necessary… it had to be.
I kept trying to convince myself of that.
As I continued chasing the one who was fleeing.
In the distance, I saw the apostle clutch his head, clearly affected, yet still trying to keep running.
I readied my arm.
One blow would be enough.
When I got close enough, I threw a punch.
But—
A shield stopped my attack.
My expression shifted for a moment.
Surprise.
I didn't expect someone to block one of my blows… even if I was holding back.
I looked more closely.
The shield-bearing apostle.
Brown hair.Freckles.A slender build… too slender for someone capable of resisting me.
And yet…
There he was.
—NOW! —he shouted, as blood ran down his face.
At the same time, the other apostle—the one I had sent flying—appeared behind me.
He wielded a long but thin sword.
Small… compared to Airoku's.
Aimed straight at my back.
—Take this, demonic nun—
I admired his courage.
He reminded me of someone.
But that didn't change anything.
His sins were still there.
And I… had a duty.
I moved my tail swiftly.
The impact was devastating.
The apostle was sent flying like a fly.
The one with the shield showed a look of despair as he saw it.
I didn't care.
They chose this path.
I spun around.
A full turn.
360 degrees.
And threw a hook straight into his side.
…
He endured it.
He didn't go flying.
At that moment, the sword-wielding apostle appeared again.
This time in an advanced state of fading.
It seemed he was risking everything; he knew he would die anyway, so he would give every part of himself.
There seemed to be a strange camaraderie between the three of them, different from the other thirty.
I looked at him, stunned.
At that moment, behind me, the shield apostle also entered a state of fading, though his was critical.
If I wanted to finish both of them without delay, I had to take things more seriously.
I hardened my claws and my tail.
Before, it had only been raw force.
Now, a single strike would be enough to tear them apart.
With a speed that made his previous attempts look pathetic, the sword apostle lunged at me.
I tried to pierce his chest with my tail, but in an instant, he left behind nothing but a blue trail.
He managed to evade my attack and countered; he couldn't harm me, but holding me off was all he needed.
As I prepared to strike him again with my fists,
the shield apostle slammed into my side, pushing me back a few centimeters.
Even if it didn't do much, it was enough to divide my attention.
Attention that the sword apostle used to slip past me and slash my back before retreating quickly.
How did he manage to cut me?
As I thought this, I enlarged my arm and shoved the shield apostle backward, sending him crashing into a tree.
I quickly looked at the sword apostle; an energy was surrounding his weapon.
I could sense a faint trace of karma related to destruction.
I lunged at him and threw a hook as my arm grew in size, making it impossible to dodge.
Once again, the shield apostle blocked the attack, and the sword wielder managed to cut my wrist slightly.
I kept my fist pressed against his shield.
The sword apostle moved quickly to my left as he prepared his weapon to attack.
I advanced, applying more force and weight, restraining the shield apostle as he struggled to endure.
—AAARGH! —a cry of pain escaped his throat; blood spilled from between his teeth.
Taking advantage of his limited movement, I struck the sword apostle with my tail.
In an attempt to dodge, he lost one of his arms, and his sword fell to the ground.
—GHAAAA! —he screamed, clutching the place where his arm had been.
The apostle dropped to one knee. I thought he had accepted his fate.
—This is where we end, Thomas —while looking at the shield apostle with a pained expression, the sword apostle extended his hand forward, trying to grasp the air.
The shield apostle, named Thomas, tried to speak, but couldn't.
When I saw the sword apostle enter the state of Silvenra, I understood what he was about to do.
There was no turning back for him.
A crimson sword materialized in front of him.It overflowed with destructive karma.
He looked at the shield apostle and gave him one last smile.
Then, he swung the blade diagonally.
The target was me.
A slash rushed toward me with destructive force.
I quickly moved away from the shield apostle.
I easily dodged the strike, watching the chaos it unleashed.
At the same time, the sword apostle was nowhere to be seen.
Only a fading blue trail remained where he had stood moments ago.
—AAAAHHH…! —the shield apostle lunged at me.
I took the opportunity and struck him with all my strength.
But he didn't move; his feet were fixed to the ground.
Even so, he fell to his knees. His body, torn apart, was nearly unconscious.
That was enough.
He wouldn't interfere anymore.
I would deal with him later.
Though I doubt it would be necessary, considering his condition.
I had wasted too much time.
The one who fled…
was no longer in sight.
I frowned.
Then—
I bent both legs.
And jumped.
THOOOM!
My body shot into the air.
I could feel their presence. They didn't know how to hide it. They were inexperienced.
I began pursuing, moving in long leaps.
…
After a while—
They stopped.
KRAAATOOOM!
I landed right behind them.
The apostle slowly turned around.
She removed her hood.
—Can we talk, nun?
Her expression was calm.
I observed her.
She was a young woman.
Around the same age as the other two.
Green hair.
Blue eyes… deep like the sea.
Her figure, once hidden by the robe, was now visible.
—I'm sorry… but there's nothing to talk about.
I extended my hand.
It grew.
Expanding until it completely enveloped her.
All it would take was closing my fist… and it would be over.
—PLEASE, LISTEN TO ME!… —snif…— We are forced to obey our god's orders… we don't do this because we want to…
She sobbed.
Her face was full of desperation.
—You're lying.
My expression didn't change.
Impassive.
The blindfold covering my eyes, pierced by my horns, made it impossible to understand how I could see…
But it did something else.
It crushed the enemy's will.
—I can discern truth from lies… and see the true nature of others.
I paused.
—And you… do not deserve to live.
—Wait, please, wait! Everything I did was out of obligation, forgive me, I won't do it again—
Her voice trembled.
Her face… twisted by desperation.
—I declare you…
My voice echoed throughout the forest.
—G.U.I.L.T.Y.
—FORGIVE MEEEEEEEE!!
I closed my hand.
Slowly.
Without haste.
Her body was crushed.
Reduced.
Deformed.
Until it became an unrecognizable mass of flesh.
…
After that…
I ate her.