A Dark Fantasy Spy

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“In the name of the merciful and loving Lord, we praise you, O Lord, master of all creation.”

Prayer flowed from Veronica’s lips.

She rummaged through her pockets and recited the next verse.

“O Almighty Lord, who presides over judgment.”

The shotgun shells were nestled between her fingers.

Two bent barrels were loaded with the shells, the mechanism and barrels aligned perfectly, and the geometric religious symbols engraved on the silver mechanism shone brightly in the darkness.

“We worship you alone and seek salvation, guide us on the right path at the door of our hearts. So….”

Click!

The hammer clicked back. Having finished loading, Veronica pointed her gun towards the hellish monsters.

The saint, armed with a double-barreled shotgun that impressed with its religious symbols and elegant appearance, recited the final line while aiming at the demons.

“Send those bastards straight to hell!”

—

Episode 12 – The Strongest Magician in History

Lightning strikes.

Thunder and gunpowder rumble, shaking the deepest, darkest places.

– ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶!!

A loud roar shook the air, and a flash erupted, dispelling the darkness. The fired bullet rushed forward, violently tearing through the monster’s hair.

Veronica pulled the trigger at the monsters charging head-on.

The beasts that had crawled up from hell clung to human bodies, only to be shot by the saint’s bullets and fall back into hell.

A second flash lit up the darkness once more.

– ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶!!

The shotgun shattered the skulls of the demon lackeys. The muspels that were shot floated into the air, their brains splattered onto the ground.

Was the shotgun this powerful originally? The ones I had tried shooting weren’t nearly that effective.

Veronica broke open the barrel after firing.

Smoke billowed up as two spent shells ejected, and just before the smoke cleared, she shoved another shell into the barrel. Aligning the barrel and action correctly, she pulled the hammer back and squeezed the trigger again.

Three muspels charging at her were torn apart by the shotgun blast, flying several meters away. The muspels swept away by the storm of steel and gunpowder vanished, leaving only their dying echoes as they returned to hell.

Such overwhelming firepower.

It seemed like a different item from the usual hunting or military shotguns. Perhaps it was specially made for a specific purpose.

Watching Veronica as she cleaned up the muspels, she tilted her head while reloading.

“What’s up? Is it your first time seeing a priest shoot?”

“…I’ve seen priests who enjoy drinking, dancing, and gambling, though.”

“Seems like quite a pious person. To not have been excommunicated shows they are truly devout.”

“Wouldn’t it be so, Saint?”

Veronica smiled slyly.

The shotgun illuminated the darkness once more.

Monsters that crawled up from hell rushed at the saint like moths to a flame.

“Stop them!”

A shout erupted from the middle-aged priest.

The priests who had followed Veronica into the cavern did their utmost to prevent the monsters from reaching her.

Some drew weapons, others opened scriptures, while some clasped their hands in prayer.

The middle-aged priest, who shouted, had a radiant sword and shield in his hands.

“Kill them!”

“It is what the Lord desires!”

At those words, the clash between priests and monsters began.

—

– Kieeeek!!

The shield-holding priest lowered his body and took aim.

He gauged the distance to the monster swinging its claws.

His legs, positioned backwards, sprang up as he awaited the right moment, and when the monster came within reach, he lifted his shield.

The priest sent the monster flying into the air with a blow from his shield.

As he sent the monster airborne, a spear emerged from behind him, impaling the muspel’s abdomen.

Weapons radiant with light sparkled like flames scattered across the fields, and bright white flashes erupted as the monsters’ screams echoed skyward.

– Gahk!

The priest, who impaled the demon with his spear, looked around. Two muspels were baring their teeth at him.

With a swift motion, he stepped on the spear embedded in the demon’s chest to break it. He then pulled out the shortened spear and thrust it into the heart of the approaching monster.

In that moment, his coat fluttered in the wind, and his silver armor flashed with a divine light.

I sensed the identity of the spear-wielding priest.

“…Paladin.”

The paladin, improvising a spear, formed a line alongside the priests. It seemed a few paladins were among the priests.

No wonder they fought so well for priests.

While the priests and paladins dispatched the charging monsters, a small number of them stepped out of the formation to guard Lucia and me.

A priest holding a scripture knelt beside Lucia, who had collapsed.

“What is the state of the saint?”

I informed the priest of Lucia’s condition.

Amid the sounds of clashing weapons and explosions, Lucia, with a pale complexion, groaned softly.

“I was knocked out by that necromancer earlier. The overall symptoms are similar to shock, but I’m not sure of the exact condition. I think she might be cursed.”

“Cursed? Have you provided any emergency treatment?”

“I gave her holy water, but I’m not sure if it had any effect….”

The priest placed his fingers on Lucia’s wrist, closing his eyes to concentrate all his focus.

“Fortunately, it seems the holy water wasn’t ineffective. I will pray to help her regain consciousness.”

At that moment, pure holy energy erupted from the priest’s feet.

The healing priest’s prayer.

When I looked down, I found Lucia, who had been collapsed, now clasping her hands together in prayer.

“Ugh….”

I gently gripped her hand with my chin.

“Lucia. Are you with us?”

The azure eyes glimmering in the darkness opened slightly as Lucia turned her head to survey her surroundings.

“The demon, where….”

Her words were cut off by a scream.

“Ahhh!”

Among the four priests protecting us, a priest wielding a mace yelled out.

The spiked mace sliced through the air, crushing the head of a muspel creeping towards the ground. The priest who smashed the monster’s head continued to swing the mace, turning another one behind it to mush.

However, perhaps he had overexerted himself as he swung the mace wide, revealing his chest, and the muspel did not miss the chance.

The muspel clawed into the priest’s bosom.

“Ugh…!”

“Matteo!”

The priest collided with the monster and fell on the spot.

A fellow-looking priest rushed to assist him, but there were too many monsters surrounding them.

The muspel, now on top of the priest, drooled thick saliva.

Sharp claws were raised high, preparing to tear into the unprotected chest when—

– ㅡ! ㅡ!

Two bullet holes appeared in the muspel’s head, causing its body to fall back.

I took a deep breath as I lowered my smoke-emitting pistol.

“Phew… that was close.”

The priest who had just stepped back from the threshold of death quickly turned to glance at me.

He cleared away the muspel’s corpse and staggered back to his feet, shouting his gratitude.

“Thank you!”

I shot bullets at the encircling monsters.

The paladins sliced the skulls of the muspels with their swords and spears, while the priests summoned divine energy, providing support in various ways.

Among them, the one standing out the most was none other than Veronica.

She stood with a vintage double-barreled shotgun in a relaxed posture like an aristocrat on a hunt.

“…….”

Veronica, anchoring her shotgun, opened her eyes searching for a target.

Just as her gaze narrowed upon confirming her goal—

– ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶!!

With the thunderous sound and a flash, the shot erupted.

The gun was aimed at the fleeing demon and necromancer.

As the sound of thunder roared, the limping necromancer glanced back. He swung his arms in a frantic manner.

Monsters around him began to close in, creating a flesh wall and preventing any bullet from reaching the necromancer or demon.

Veronica lowered her shotgun, clicking her tongue in disappointment.

“…Tch! I only grazed a leg. Really clever, aren’t they?”

“…….”

The necromancer glared at Veronica.

The air around him began to swirl with magic as he drew a magic circle in the air.

Veronica sneaked a glance at the preparing necromancer, her expression calm as ever, then extended her hand toward the priest behind her.

“Round three bullet. The penetrating kind.”

“Yes, Saint.”

– Fwoosh!!

Magical energy gathered, and a strong wind surged.

Her long hair fluttered, and the divine white dress she wore swayed like a ship docked in a stormy harbor.

Veronica showed no signs of hesitation.

– Click!

The saint, having finished reloading, aimed at the necromancer as he swung his arm.

The fired bullet and magic crossed paths.

The thick lead bullet tore through the flesh wall and struck both the necromancer and the demon behind it.

“Cough…!”

In contrast, the green curse cast by the necromancer failed to touch Veronica.

“…The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

As the saint prayed, the green curse diverted, missing her as if someone had swatted it away.

The wayward hex flew behind her, melting through the wall in an explosion.

Even amidst her wildly tousled hair, Veronica calmly loaded another bullet. The lightning shook the cavern, and the monsters’ heads bursting apart was as natural as flowing water.

Standing atop a risen stone brick, Veronica sent the creatures from hell back into the depths below.

Seeing her, the priests and knights rejoiced, and Lucia groaned as she pushed herself up from the ground.

“Ugh….”

Just as I was about to help Lucia, I noticed something rolling on the ground.

It was the familiar shape of a staff handle and the long white blade below it. It was the Staff Sword of Inquisitor Agato, which the demon had dropped during the fight.

I picked up the staff sword and handed it to the staggered Lucia.

“Use this to lean on. Are you feeling okay?”

“…Yes.”

Her blue eyes glimmered in the dark.

Lucia, wobbling as she stood, tightened the loosened cloth around her and readied herself for battle.

Just then,

“Don’t get up.”

Veronica admonished Lucia.

“Your body is still weak, and if you fight, you’ll only get hurt worse. Just lie down.”

“But…!”

“Enough.”

Veronica turned to Lucia with a calm yet cold gaze as she was loading her weapon. The chill in her eyes made Lucia flinch and shrink back.

“What right do you have to speak so boldly?”

“…….”

Lucia lowered her head, and Veronica pulled the trigger.

With a heavy gunshot, the muspel that leaped at her burst open, blood and flesh spraying out behind her like wings sprouting from the cut grass.

Having pulled the trigger, Veronica received a new bullet from the priest and inserted it into the bent barrel, adding,

“For now, this discussion ends here. We’ll talk more when we get back.”

Lucia murmured quietly.

“…Sister.”

As the saint with the shotgun gazed at the saint beside her, the reloaded holy woman aimed her gun forward.

When she pulled the trigger, a powerful shot echoed, creating a monument of light as hellish creatures rushed towards them, screaming.

– Kyaahh!!

– Kieeeek!!

Veronica fired at the monsters. But the number of muspels far exceeded the two bullets.

As Veronica reloaded the shotgun, she observed the priests and knights standing against the creatures rushing toward her, clicking her tongue softly.

“Tch…!”

No matter how many she killed, the overwhelming horde of creatures showed no signs of decreasing. For every one that fell, two would rise from the ground; it was only natural.

Until now, Veronica had been cleaning up clustered muspels with her shotgun as if sweeping a broom, yet, in such a short time, had they regrouped? The muspels now seemed to spread out to evade the raining bullets.

“This won’t do.”

Sensing that the shotgun’s effectiveness was waning, Veronica loosened her aim and set down the shotgun.

She passed the shotgun to the priest handing her bullets, speaking with no more words, but opened her palm.

“Gun.”

The priest placed a gun in her hand. To be exact, he handed over the handle of a revolver housed in a leather holster.

Fixing her gaze straight ahead, Veronica drew the revolver from the holster. It was clearly larger and heavier than the one I carried.

A long barrel,
A round cylinder,
Embellished religious symbols down the barrel,
And a checkered wooden grip to prevent slipping.

A revolver as luxurious as her double-barreled shotgun.

“…Huh.”

Holding the revolver, Veronica closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

Then, in a very soft voice, she recited the prayer.

“Arise. The Light has come, and the holy glory of the Holy Spirit rests upon you.”

At that moment, light appeared in the air.

The light gradually took on a spherical form, as if dandelion seeds were quietly falling with the wind.

Veronica opened her eyes and gazed at the light.

Simultaneously, someone’s panicked murmur echoed in everyone’s eardrums.

“…No.”

Inquisitor Agato, being supported by the necromancer. It was the voice of the demon possessing his body.

As it stared at the hovering spheres of light, the demon yelled in a panicked voice.

“Don’t!”

“…What is it that can’t be done?”

Raising her palm towards the demon, Veronica smiled as she stomped the ground.

With the revolver in hand, she charged forward, stepping over the stunned priests and knights and leaping into the sky.

“NO!!”

At that moment, as the demon stretched out its hand, a scream of despair erupted.

Veronica’s hand touched the sphere of light suspended in midair.

– Waaaaaaa!

In that instant, divine energy began to rush in like a storm.

Amid the sudden whirlwind and baptism of light, everyone squinted and averted their eyes. The demon’s wails echoed through the clash of light and wind.

Grasping the sphere, Veronica was enveloped in light.

Surrounded by a bright white glow, she floated in the air, then opened her eyes that had been closed for a while.

“…….”

Beneath her were monsters from hell, priests, demons, and necromancers. And one annoying sibling, and one familiar man.

Veronica lifted her head to gaze at the sky.

Below her, countless monsters wriggled, but above her was a clear void.

Above her head was nothing but starlight.

– Click.

The sound of the revolver’s hammer being cocked resonated sharply.

Gazing up at the sky, the saint glanced down at the monsters, necromancers, and demons.

The demons bared their teeth with bloodshot eyes as they watched the saint swim gracefully through the night sky.

“…Damn priest!”

Veronica, soaring high up, turned her gaze.

Passing by demons, necromancers, paladins, and priests, her eyes fell upon us. She cast one last look at the gloomy Lucia before glancing back at me.

Suddenly, a smile bloomed on her lips.

Surrounded by shimmering white light, she slowly descended from the sky, her smile ever bright.

Then, she looked past the priests and knights to the demons and necromancers, and began to chant.

“Here.”

The saint said.

“The divine retribution you ordered has arrived.”