I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy-Chapter 696

Though it was distant and fast, Nasser realized that the trajectory cutting through the monsters belonged to a dagger. By the time his eye twitched, the streak of light had already embedded itself in the demon.

Zap, crackle!

In the next instant, violet lightning spread across the demon like a spiderweb.

That was all it took.

The demon could not even scream. It flailed once before plummeting downward, like a puppet with its strings cut. It might not have been enough to kill it outright, but it was more than sufficient to paralyze it, if only briefly. Nasser’s gaze shifted at once, tracking Ian as he descended in a crouched posture.

Crash—

A griffin flying high in the sky collided with him and was effectively trampled. To Nasser, it looked as though the monster had been sucked beneath Ian’s feet. It was no illusion. Ian was already straightening as he ran over the creature, reaching one hand out.

"Hah..."

Following the movement with his eyes, Nasser let out a short breath of disbelief. The greatsword, which had been falling helplessly, came to a sudden halt and was pulled toward Ian, defying gravity.

Whoosh. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Almost simultaneously, Ian kicked off the griffin’s writhing back and leaped again. As the monster, its spine shattered, plunged away, Ian’s fluttering cloak traced another crimson arc through the sky—straight toward the demon, which was crashing down while tangled with other monsters.

Rumble—

Ian’s cloak beat like wings, and the greatsword continued to chase him through the air.

To wield the power of sacred blood with that level of freedom.

The sight drew another surge of admiration from Nasser. It was a precarious maneuver, bordering on acrobatics, multiple abilities layered together in perfect timing.

Yet the motion flowed without hesitation, each step leading seamlessly into the next, producing a decisive outcome.

Unless one is a genius of my caliber, they wouldn’t even be able to properly see what he just did...

The purple streak entangled with monsters slammed into the ground.

Thud—

A heavy roar resounded as a cloud of snow-mixed dust billowed upward. A convulsing purple light spread from the impact point, but Nasser paid it no attention.

Swoosh!

His eyes remained locked on Ian, who was plummeting after it, leaving a crimson trail like a comet’s tail. As his cloak billowed with unnatural force, Ian raised both arms and seized the hilt of the greatsword.

Whoosh—!

At that moment, a gale mixed with biting cold burst forth from behind Nasser. It swept across the battlefield in an instant, spreading far beyond it. Thesaya’s magic had dispersed.

"------!"

An ominous shriek, unmistakably the gargoyle demon’s, echoed through the air. Nasser merely bent his knees slightly to steady himself, never once looking away.

Sshhh...

As the dust settled, the harpy’s figure was revealed at the center of the snow-covered field. It lay flat on its back with its wings spread wide, squirming as it tried to shake off the paralysis and lift its body.

Beneath it, the monsters it had crushed twitched weakly, leaking fluids mixed with chaos.

Swoosh—

A red arc descended right into the center of the demon's torso. It was Ian, bringing the greatsword down with all his strength.

Crunch— Splat!

The red trail clinging to him flared like a flame for a brief instant. Struck by the greatsword, the demon caved inward as though being driven into the earth itself. Its wings and limbs jerked violently upward.

Hiss... Fwoosh...

Amid the red divinity and the bursting purple chaos twisting and burning together, Ian landed with his cloak billowing, driving the greatsword all the way down.

"Oh, Lu Solar..."

The quiet gasp came from Phaden, standing on the driver’s seat. He and Alex, beside him, stared blankly at Ian in the distance. Of course, their awe carried a different meaning than Nasser’s.

After all, it was their first time witnessing Ian bring down a demon.

Crunch—

That was when Ian slowly straightened, drawing the greatsword upward as if pulling it free. Crimson light and chaos-soaked blood traced a wide arc through the air, and the impaled demon convulsed violently.

Nasser suddenly raised his head. He had felt a shadow brush past nearby. Almost at once, the shout of the Northern mercenary captain cut through the din.

"Don’t stop! Keep firing, you bastards! Don’t let them get in here!"

The mercenaries and defense force soldiers loosed their crossbows without pause. Aside from the small number escorting the wagons, including Nasser himself, fierce fighting was still raging on all sides.

Crunch! Rumble—

Screams, shouts, and the wet sound of flesh tearing echoed chaotically through the air. The battlefield was thick with the stench of blood, rot, and burned powder.

Crackle...

The sacred flame burning within the brazier still roared fiercely, radiating intense heat. Priests chanted without rest as they fed logs into the fire, while the Saintess kept her head bowed, sustaining the rite.

They were clearly trying to preserve the heat blanketing the battlefield. Miguel stood nearby with an ax in one hand, scanning the surroundings, guarding her.

"It might be time for both of you to pull yourselves together," Nasser said calmly after sweeping his gaze across the area.

Phaden and Alex, who had been captivated by Ian’s display, both flinched.

As they turned back toward him, Nasser adjusted his grip on his sword and shield and asked, "Is Her Highness safe?"

"She is. She should be lying on the floor of the carriage. It was built to withstand significant external impacts in the first place."

That answer implied the presence of spell circuits meant for more than mere soundproofing. Nasser glanced once more at Ian in the distance, still striking down with his greatsword, then turned away.

"The demon will fall soon. Be ready for whatever follows. I’ll move to the flank."

"Thank you for the advice, Sir Nasser," Phaden replied as he climbed onto the roof of the carriage.

The magic stones embedded throughout his shield and armor were already glowing with a soft light. Alex, now scanning the battlefield with a tense expression, was the same. With a nod, Nasser leaped lightly onto the empty wagon to the right.

Boom—

A thunderous impact shook the ground nearby. Straightening at once, Nasser looked past the edge of the wagon. Though his vantage point was slightly lower, identifying the source of the roar was easy.

In the distance, a gargoyle demon was slamming the ground with all four of its arms.

Grrr...

A snow-laden purple shockwave surged upward. Moro burst through it with Thesaya on its back, a faint barrier shimmering behind them. They had narrowly evaded the blow.

That side too...

Even so, Nasser’s expression remained relaxed. It wasn’t because he trusted Moro’s true nature, nor because he trusted Thesaya’s skill.

Behind the demon, which was twisting to face them after landing, he spotted a knight charging forward atop a white horse. It was Mev. Her sword had already been returned to the scabbard on her back.

It’ll be over soon.

The thought barely finished forming.

Bending one knee, Nasser snapped his shield up to cover his head and looked skyward. The monsters were fewer now, but those that remained flew faster and more fiercely than before.

Shriek— Screech—

Just as Nasser tightened his grip on his sword, several monsters suddenly howled as if seized by madness and began crashing into those around them. Tangled together, they fell from the sky in multiple places.

"Huh."

Curling one corner of his mouth, Nasser lowered his shield. His gaze slid over the roof of the adjacent carriage. Far away, purple chaos was spreading like a dense fog, staining the darkness.

Loud, aren’t you?

At its center, Ian stood catching his breath, briefly sweeping his eyes across the sky. Crimson divinity and purple chaos coiled around him, burning one another away.

That alone explained why no monsters dared approach him.

Crack...

Ian wrenched the greatsword free from where it had been embedded at an angle. Shreds of flesh and viscous fluid slid sluggishly down the blade.

The edge was chipped in places, but Ian paid it no attention as he looked down.

Sizzle...

The demon’s corpse lay fully exposed. Its chest had been crushed into little more than a shapeless mass of meat. Four wings were spread wide, smeared with mangled flesh, and the monsters trapped beneath it had long since been reduced to paste.

—Ah... I can finally breathe a little...

The whisper echoed faintly through Ian’s mind. Yog was greedily lapping up the demon’s chaos.

As always, Ian’s essence bead throbbed as it struggled to absorb what it could. Yet the chaos burned away the moment it came into contact with Karha’s divinity, turning the effort into something close to futile.

Ignoring it all, Ian stepped off the corpse and extended his left hand.

Swish—

The Dagger of Plate Lightning tore itself free from the demon’s lower abdomen and snapped back into his grip. He flicked the blood from the blade and slid it neatly back into its sheath.

Clip-clop, clip-clop—

Nila galloped in, burning away the lingering chaos as it approached. Ian looked over as it came to a halt before the demon’s corpse, snow spraying beneath its hooves.

Snort...

Clad in silver barding, embers rippling through its mane, the steed’s breathing was only slightly heavier than before. From the shallow cuts scattered across its body, no blood flowed. Instead, sparks spilled out, like something drawn straight from myth, a holy beast forged of flame.

—I should praise myself for adapting to this disgusting feeling.

As Yog muttered, Ian curled one corner of his lips and vaulted lightly into the saddle. There was still another demon left.

He was just about to flick the reins when he froze. Beyond the battlefield, where monsters were falling like rain, a vivid blue line cleaved straight through the darkness.

It was a familiar light.

Sacred radiance flared from the blade of a knight riding a galloping white horse. The glowing line shone as though slicing through space itself, then transformed in the next instant into blazing blue flames.

Whoosh—

As the trail of azure fire spread outward, Ian’s gaze locked onto the center of its path. The demon’s massive torso, pierced by the light, split apart along with its wings.

Rumble...

The dancing azure flames continued to spread, burning through the severed cross-section. With its bat-like wings, two heads, and four arms, it looked almost like a grotesque statue, unmistakably a gargoyle twisted into a demon.

Boom—

Its thick hide meant nothing now. Split open and engulfed in blue fire, the demon collapsed without even managing a scream.

Rumble...

As the azure flames finally dissipated, Ian followed their fading trail with his eyes.

At the far end stood Mev, pulling on Selim’s reins as she came to a halt. The long, snow-white blade in her hand flickered with lingering blue holy fire.

So that’s the Blazing Judgment.

Watching her flick the sword once to shake off the remaining fire, Ian’s smile deepened slightly. It suited her perfectly, far more than that sticky crimson divinity ever could.

"The Legion Commander and Vice Commander have defeated the demons!"

The thunderous shout that cut through the din came from the center of the battlefield. Nasser stood there, sword raised high above his head.

"The Demigod of the North!"

"For the Great Demigod and the First Consort!"

Heated cheers erupted from the heart of the fighting. Ian’s eyebrows twitched involuntarily.