Overpowered Extra Noble in a Novel

127.

***

It was the moment Cain had just arrived at the gateway city of Yelkin.

One of the frontlines in the north, Vulkon’s castle wall, was already barely maintaining its form, having lost its functionality.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A heavy rumble echoed as the wall shook violently.

──!

Amidst the sky-covered roar, something dark hammered the castle wall forcefully. A humanoid figure melting like mud. These monstrous entities continuously impacted the wall to tear it down.

The monsters’ barely cognizant minds were driven by a single will.

To descend.

The goal was singular—endless southward advancement. Any obstruction would be destroyed and passed through.

Among the regions halting the army in the north were three places, including Vulkon, each boasting defenses as steadfast as ancient fortresses.

An impregnable fortress of iron walls. The monster army had repeatedly battered against these walls for a long time.

Finally, the end was in sight.

For the walls were collapsing.

Someone observed this scene.

Brown hair, tousled under the battering storm, framed a face twisted with countless scars and wrinkles.

Todd Milede Baron, the lord of Vulkon. The dark cultist who wore Todd’s guise grinned.

“It will collapse soon.”

There was no one to respond to the dark cultist’s muttering.

On the storm-lashed wall, few could navigate this world of impenetrable cold where not even an inch ahead was visible.

The storm howled uselessly, and the wall swayed as if it might crumble any moment. To turn around this disastrous situation would require strength beyond that of an ordinary human. For example, the sort of superhuman strength possessed by mana adepts.

Vulkon, a city that bore one flank of the frontline, boasted numerous superhumans.

The scale of the army battering the castle walls was approximately hundreds. If all Vulkon’s superhumans mobilized, they could probably hold them off.

It may take some time due to their numbers, but halting the disaster of the wall being breached should be sufficient.

‘If they can…’

Clang…

A corner of the wall collapsed.

As one section fell, other parts began to collapse in response. Without the wall, the horde would surely rampage madly across the snowy plains.

Although Drvaleta and Untla still stood…

The collapse of the remaining two cities was only a matter of time. The chaos originating from Vulkon would soon grow and engulf the north.

As for Solorun and Yelkin, there was no need to mention them.

At Yelkin, the siblings were at work, and Solorun would handle the monsters on its own.

‘Truly a perfect plan… no, no, it is inevitable. The great god watches over us.’

At this point of progress, it could be considered half-successful.

No one from the empire could resolve the situation. Perhaps, if a Swordmaster, said to transcend humanity, should appear…

There are no transcenders among the Altain.

As for Sylvester’s transcender, they’re preoccupied with another task.

The dark cultist turned away from the groaning wall.

The impenetrable fortress of Vulkon could no longer be called a city.

The buildings where people once dwelled, with grotesque appearances, were being buried by snow. The residents who lived in the city lay frozen stiff on the ground.

A ruin. To be blunt, it was no different from a trash heap.

It was the result created by this dark cultist, who had donned the guise of Todd, following the grand plan.

The dark cultist extended both arms wide towards the sky.

“Keltenar, truly the great savior! With Thy eyes that watch all things, gaze upon us!”

Gurgle.

At the center of the ruins, black liquid began to rise.

The liquid quickly spread in all directions and paused as though reflecting the eyes of a human.

The dark cultist gazed at the enormous eye that had covered the ruins.

“Oh… Ohh!”

Keltenar.

The watcher of all things.

The great god’s gaze had fallen upon this place.

Suddenly, the dark cultist’s vision was altered.

The ruins melted away.

The snowstorm covering the sky melted away.

Even the echoing sounds in the ears melted away.

The dark cultist realized that their own consciousness was also melting.

All things mixed, scattered noisily, and flowed somewhere.

Finally.

When the consciousness shattered into pieces and completely disappeared,

Squish.

The body of the dark cultist standing atop the wall melted away.

Keltenar leisurely consumed the dark cultist, now transformed into black liquid. The ruin was rife with prey apart from the dark cultist absorbed just now.

It’s not a completely satisfying quantity.

But it’s fine. Waiting isn’t difficult, after all.

However, an unpleasant presence was sensed. The power of the sun shining even within the severe cold.

…Prepare.

After giving a small revelation, Keltenar closed His eyes.

Thus, within the silent ruins where even the dark god had vanished,

Crack.

BOOM!

The monstrous army broke through Vulkon’s castle walls.

***

There was a point that caught my attention when I first discussed the dark cultist with Myna.

Whenever a dark cultist appears or evidence is found, a saint must inevitably move. This makes the already busy duties of the saint even more chaotic, as she mentioned.

At the time, I nodded along appropriately upon hearing Myna’s lamentations, but a question inevitably arose in my mind.

Don’t other people have the ability to handle the dark cultist?

Is it necessary for the saint herself to act directly? After all, being stabbed with a sword will result in death regardless.

Of course, since I didn’t know how the sect handled situations, I refrained from asking. There was no pressing need to delve deep into it either.

Even thinking about the details of the novel revealed that the sect’s method of dealing with dark cultists was never deeply explored. The protagonist only briefly got entangled with the saint of the Silver Moon during their investigation. The dark cultist’s aspects remained shrouded in mystery.

The lack of detailed descriptions made sense; the novel’s central theme, after all, was the protagonist’s journey to become a Swordmaster and live happily ever after with the heroine.

Anyway.

During the meeting when Myna confidently volunteered to handle the dark cultist situation…

Certainly, the sight before my eyes justified her overflowing confidence.

“Huurrgh!”

An odd cry accompanied as the pendant’s light intensified.

Myna had preemptively detonated a flashbang.

The flash that erupted instantly enveloped the entire plaza.

Though the residents hastily closed their eyes or raised their arms, it wasn’t necessary. The sheer brilliance wouldn’t irritate or blind them.

Most found the light Myna unleashed fascinating.

A light that wasn’t blinding but was instead warmly mystical. Everyone assumed it was the blessing of the saint and shrugged it off.

However, the reactions of a few stood out intensely.

“Aaaaagh!”

“My eyes! They’re burning! Uuuuuungh!”

Turning towards the ear-piercing screams,

People rolling on the ground between the crowd. Each one clutching their eyes and writhing. Fiery flames erupted across their bodies as a bonus.

‘…So, this is how it works.’

Summoning the blessing head-on disturbed the dark cultist’s powers.

A straightforward yet reliable method exclusive to Myna, who wields the power of divinity.

Ordinarily, holy knights or priests must analyze each characteristic of a dark cultist to gather evidence step-by-step. But for the saint, merely delivering a blessing is sufficient.

This is why Myna is summoned everywhere when a dark cultist appears. It’s unfortunate for her, but from the sect’s perspective, it’s unavoidable.

Leaving behind Myna, who swung her pendant around, I called out to Zelvin, who was mouthing something silently.

“The sanctified light drives out the wicked power! Baron Cromwell! Any who react are all dark cultists!”

Zelvin’s response was swift.

He assessed the situation instantly, gave orders, and turned the plaza in Yelkin into a cacophonous chaos of screams and shouts.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

“Markins, you bastard! I thought you had finally learned some decency, but you’re a dark cultist!”

“You’ve shown your true colors. Whore of Sora!”

“Shut up! Dirty dark cultist bastards!”

Clang!

Among the ones reacting to Myna’s light were knights and soldiers.

Even while their bodies burned, they drew their weapons and started swinging them wildly at their surroundings.

“Kyaahhhh!”

“R, run!”

“Die! All become one and ascend to paradise… gkk!”

Slash.

A red-eyed soldier’s head soared into the sky.

“Command! Hold your ground!”

As the situation became urgent, the mana adepts near Zelvin sprang into action.

They swiftly beheaded the rampaging dark cultists, scattering their heads across the plaza.

“Gather around Lady Saint! Corner the dark cultists!”

Cleaning up the plaza is on Zelvin, the lord.

Raising my senses, I leapt into action.

More often than not, amongst large crowds, there exist hidden threats. I detected several traces skillfully slipping through the chaos and escaping the square.

Bang!

Taking a light step, I soared into the air.

Descending onto a bald man who was fleeing blindly, I extended my hand.

“Aaaahhh!”

The bald man was crushed by an intangible force into the ground. In the process, my control failed, causing the man’s right leg to twist into an odd angle.

‘Insignificant.’

Fine-tuned manipulation only requires consistent practice.

After landing beside the trembling bald man, I placed my hand on his mottled head.

Myna’s blessing made the dark cultists violently react. So, might the same reaction occur when using my own mark?

Click.

Gently placing my hand, a faint flash of light emerged from my neck.

The bald man’s eyes widened.

“Hrrrrrrrkk!”

White flames erupted across the bald man’s body. Clearly enduring immense pain, the man rolled on the ground, foaming at the mouth.

‘Sure enough.’

It seems the dark cultist detection ability, as expected, works for me as well.

After exploding the bald man’s head, I leapt into the air again.

‘Next…’

I lunged towards a middle-aged woman whose eyes met mine.

I prepared to lightly press my Sigil Blade on the petrified woman this time. As a result,

“Kyaahhhhh!”

A white flame erupted where the blade touched the skin.

The material composing the Sigil Blade was a holy artifact from the sect of divine light. Since it too provoked a reaction, it confirmed the woman was undoubtedly a dark cultist. Cross-verification complete.

‘…I’ll need assistance later.’

Myna’s fierce expression as she swung her pendant around came to mind.

The mark alone can detect dark cultists. If traces of them are found in other areas in the future, I could assist her, lessening her burden. Hopefully, that might reduce her stress slightly.

At the moment, as I crushed the dark cultist burning to ashes,

“Master.”

Charles appeared before me.

“I’ve caught some suspicious individuals.”

Klump. Klump.

Two unconscious men sprawled on the ground.

“One was committing arson; another was heading toward the city gate.”

“Trying to cause chaos and escape in the confusion? The fire?”

“I extinguished it before it spread. Judging by the arson evidence, it seems they prepared for quite a while.”

“I see. Good job.”

I wondered where you had gone when Myna suddenly erupted in light and vanished.

Even without specific instructions, you acted independently.

“Master. I detected several other suspicious movements. Their supposed hideout… though they tried to erase it, the traces weren’t completely gone. It was quite clumsy. I’ll check the hideout.”

Charles’ eyes gleamed.

“What will we do with any additional captives? Should I kill them?”

“…Catch one more. Handle the others freely.”

You’ve been stressed, too.

At your unusually zealous appearance, I nodded reluctantly.

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