Chapter 61: Fluttering Ashes (7)

'It's shaking.'

The black hill was shaking.

The moment the hundreds of thousands of eyes saw the rose gold pillar of light slowly heading down toward it…

They aimlessly looked all around them.

Screeeech—!

The black hill suddenly screeched.

Chhhhhhhhh!

The black Dragon ripped the black hill apart and flew up into the sky at that moment.

However, the black hill could not even think about catching the black Dragon.

"It will be the end if we are caught up in that."

Necromancer Mary commented in a calm voice as she had the black skeletal Dragon run away.

As far as possible…

Far from that red pillar of light.

"Ah."

The Pope did not sense Mary who was suddenly next to her. However, she realized something while looking at the hundreds of thousands of black eyes aimlessly looking around.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The black hill stomped on the ground.

It dug a hole and tried to hide inside.

She mentioned the thing she realized.

"It is looking for a place to run away."

The moment she said that…

The rose gold pillar of light touched the black hill.

—-!

There was no noise.

There was no collision or explosion.

Screeeeech—!

The black hill screeched. Its entire body twisted.

Boom, boom!

The ground shook from the black hill's flailing.

The rumbling was so strong that it could be felt beyond the walls of the city.

Chhhh—!

Black smoke started coming out from the black eyes.

The smoke headed toward the pillar of light.

Sharp thorns grew out of the sides of the black hill's body as well. Each and every thorn was big enough that multiple adults would need to work together in order to carry it.

The black hill's thorns pointed up similar to that of a hedgehog.

Black liquid was dripping from the thorns.

This existence that was larger than a hill based on its size…

This thing that was strong enough to make the entire Empire's capital shake…

The smoke that was polluting the air…

The large thorns that were releasing deadlyl poison…

"Ah..."

However, barely anybody was looking at this dreadful monster.

The Agents of Destruction lowered their hands that were holding weapons.

"…Oh Fire of Purification...…"

The Pope's legs gave out and she plopped down on the ground.

She could see white snow.

No, it was not snow, but ashes.

"…This, this is the power of purification-"

A priest blankly looked up and extended his hands to the sky despite the black monster's last-ditch flailing.

White ashes fluttered through his fingers.

The moment the rose gold pillar of light touched the black hill…

SCREEEEEEEEECH—!

The moment that the black monster had screeched…

The monster's body started to disappear.

White ashes fluttered in its place.

The closer the pillar of light got to the ground…

The more the monster flailed…

The amount of white ashes slowly increased.

Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-

There was a gust of wind.

The countless white ashes created between the red and black were carried by the gust of wind and scattered throughout the sky.

It looked as if it was snowing in the middle of winter.

SCREEEEEEEEECH—!

If it wasn't for the monster screeching… If it wasn't for the monster flailing… They might not have even realized that this was a site of a fight.

"No."

Zero shook his head.

"…This is not a fight."

'It's as if, yes, it's as if…'

It looked as if a god in the sky was destroying an evil creature on the ground.

Zero could not laugh.

He had been able to laugh even while watching the black tree outside of precinct 9 being purified, but he could not laugh anymore.

'Beautiful.'

It was beautiful.

Although they were underneath ash-colored clouds, white ashes fluttered and piled up all around the capital.

"What the…?"

"Mommy, is it snowing?"

"…So pretty."

In the destroyed plaza, the Imperial Palace, the commoners' residences, and even the shoulders of the people standing at the gate running away…

White ashes slowly fluttered down and piled up.

White ashes piled up to cover up the traces of the destroyed and broken places.

"…Is this really a sight that can be seen in a world that was facing destruction?"

One of the Agents of Destruction mumbled as they covered their eyes with their hands.

It was not such a beautiful sight that it suffocated them with awe.

However, the white ashes that fluttered down like large snowflakes made their hearts flutter.

"…Leader."

"What is it?"

An agent asked Zero.

"Is he really human?"

Zero's gaze followed the agent to the roof of a building.

There was someone, who no longer had a rose gold thunderbolt wrapped around him, calmly standing there looking at the black monster.

The Purifier.

He could not sense any sort of pressure from this feeble-looking man.

"…I don't know. But that is not important."

It was not important whether that guy was human or not.

"What is important is that the only thing left for this terrible darkness is destruction."

The only thing left for this era was destruction.

The world that was to come would not have this darkness.

That was what was important to Zero.

"…But I am still curious. I want to know what the person who created all of this is thinking right now."

Zero could not look away from Cale.

His eyes opened wide at that moment.

"...!"

The Purifier.

He slightly staggered.

However, not many people managed to see that.

Boom-!

The monster had stopped flailing and fell to the ground at that moment. The black eyes were no longer releasing smoke and the thorns had turned into white ashes and disappeared into the sky.

Screeech, screeeeech—

The monster was even stopping its quiet screeching.

The large black hill would completely perish in a little bit.

– Human!

However, Raon didn't care whether the black hill perished or not. It wasn't important to him whether white ashes fluttered in the air.

The invisible Raon supported Cale's staggering body.

Of course, he used the sturdiest part of his body, his head.

"Ugh!"

Cale gasped after feeling Raon's firm head slam into his side.

"Meeeeeeeeeeow!"

"Meeeeeow!"

On and Hong, who had just arrived on top of the roof and were headed toward Cale, approached him in shock.

"You can't faint, nya!"

"Are you okay? You can't turn pale, nya!"

On, in her kitten form, walked past the shocked Hong and urgently checked on Cale's complexion.

"...?"

She was then flabbergasted.

"…Y, your complexion l, looks good?"

It was rare to see On stutter like this.

"That's not possible! The human is currently coughing up b, hmm?"

Raon tilted his head in confusion.

"Human, you look totally fine!"

"…Ha..."

Cale pushed the invisible Raon whose head was pushing against Cale's side.

"I told you I'm okay."

Cale was fine.

"Then why did you stagger just now? I thought you were fainting!"

Cale answered honestly.

"It wasn't anything to worry about."

He was slightly dizzy a moment ago. That was why he had staggered.

'But this much is not enough for me to faint nor cough up blood.'

He was in good condition.

Of course, Cale was currently shocked as well.

'You can create something like this if you truly are overwhelmingly strong.'

Cale was taking care of the monster so easily as if the monster's last efforts weren't much.

Cale couldn't do anything about the buildings in the capital that the monster had already destroyed, but he had not destroyed anything to take down this monster.

'Well, they will struggle when they try to get rid of all these ashes. But that is not for me, but the people of the capital.'

Cale looked at the white ashes and thought it would be a headache to clean it all up.

"Human, the white ashes are as pretty as snow!"

"I want to make a snowman, nya!"

Of course, he ignored Raon and Hong's conversation.

Beeeeeeep-

He heard a noise from the video communication device at that moment.

"Human, I'll check!"

Raon quickly read the message that was delivered.

"Human! Dark Elf Shawn and Vampire Jezna said that they have secured the respective tombs!"

The jiangshis were in two other locations.

Shawn and Jezna had followed Cale's orders to take the church and the Agents of Destruction to take control of those two locations.

Of course, this was only after confirming that there were no extremely powerful individuals in either location.

"Sui Khan told me to let you know, nya."

On slowly approached Cale as she spoke.

"He said that we are capturing the Hunters and not to worry, nya."

"Human! Gramps just contacted me as well! He said that they are capturing the remaining Hunters! He says that Choi Han is with him!"

Sui Khan, Choi Han, Eruhaben, and Aphei.

They were currently capturing the rest of the Hunters who had not offered themselves as tribute to the black hill.

'Hmm.'

Cale thought about it for a moment.

'I'm sure there are some Hunters who ran away.'

There must have been at least one or two Hunters who shouted about making an offering of karma and ran away.

This monster, this black hill suddenly appearing had turned this place into chaos. It would have made it so that the Agents of Destruction and the members of the Church were unable to fully pay attention to the Hunters.

'It does not matter.'

However, it did not matter to Cale.

He reached out his hand. He touched his hair.

He still had white hair and green eyes.

Nobody other than the Huayans patriarch had realized that Cale was Cale.

'Well, there might be people who recognize us based on Mary and Choi Han's powers.'

He just needed to disguise Choi Han and Mary while taking them with him if that happened.

He could also go to the other worlds without the two of them.

"Raon, let's move."

Either way, there was something he needed to do first right now.

Cale had received contact from the Margrave in Precinct 9 on his way here.

'Purifier-nim! Monsters resembling the black tree have started their attacks in the Eastern, Southern, and Northern precincts of the Empire!'

Ooooooooong-

A black magic circle appeared with Cale at the center.

"Shall I go too?"

Cale made eye contact with Mary, who flew up on her black Dragon. He shook his head.

"Mary. I leave it to you to take care of things here. I'll come back after taking care of the rest."

"I understand."

Cale felt relieved at the calmly responding Mary before teleporting with Raon, On, and Hong.

Paaaat-!

A black light soon flashed as Cale, On, Hong, and Raon disappeared from the roof.

Mary descended to the ground.

The Pope, Zero, and Imperial Princess Olivia approached her.

"…Ha."

Imperial Princess Olivia let out a gasp-like laugh as she approached Mary.

The place where Mary was standing right now…

This place was where the black hill had been until mere moments ago.

The monster had disappeared without a trace.

Pss pss.

All she could feel in its place were the white ashes underneath her feet.

"…Did the esteemed Purifier-nim go somewhere?"

Mary contemplated for a bit before honestly answering the Pope's question.

Her voice was relaxed as she spoke.

"The Purifier-nim has gone to the Eastern, Southern, and Northern precincts. He went to purify the monsters that have appeared outside the respective precincts."

"…There really were other monsters."

"Yes, ma'am."

Zero walked past the Pope who clenched her eyes and looked as if she was praying and asked.

"Hey, I saw that Purifier guy stagger just moments ago. Are you sure that he is okay?"

The Pope and the Second Imperial Princess looked at Mary in shock after hearing that. The two of them had not seen that.

Mary debated it for a moment.

'His complexion looked good.'

Mary had ridden on the black Dragon and gone up to check Cale's complexion.

Mary, who had gone up there because she was concerned and because she had to tell Choi Han or Eruhaben about Cale's condition, had come to a conclusion after taking a look at Cale.

'He seemed much better off than I expected.'

However…

"…I'm not sure."

She could not be certain.

Why?

"He is someone who always uses his powers like this and sacrifices himself."

Based on Cale's actions until now… Until he faints…

"Furthermore, he is not someone who makes it show, so I don't think we will know until everything is over."

She had no way of knowing.

Mary gave her honest answer before calmly continuing to speak.

"The monster is gone, so we must now do what we can."

Mary slightly tilted her head to the side at that moment.

"Shit, shit!"

Zero suddenly became angry and stomped on the ground.

"…Oh esteemed Purifier."

The Pope unclasped her hands and spoke to Mary.

"I guess we need to give everything we have for the reconstruction."

The Second Imperial Princess turned around with a stiff expression on her face and started to walk toward the Imperial Palace.

She made a comment as she left.

"…I learned something again."

Mary quietly looked at the three people, who had all reacted differently but jumped in to take care of things without having to be told to do so, before she got on the black Dragon and flew up into the sky.

She needed to tell the others about Cale's condition and what he had told her.

* * *

"I'm a bit tired."

– Cale, at least the monsters that were in the east, south, and north were weak compared to the black tree and the black hill. That's a relief. You didn't need to use too much strength.

Cale listened to the Super Rock's voice as he returned to the capital. He was heading back after one day.

It had taken less time than he had expected.

Of course, he was with Raon, On, and Hong.

"…Hmm?"

However, Cale touched his ears after returning to the capital.

He wondered if he had heard correctly.

"What did you say?"

"Oh, esteemed purifier! The decision has been made to create a statue in the capital plaza describing your merits."

'…What nonsense is this? I was only gone for a day. What the hell happened?'

Cale looked past the shoulder of the Pope who was saying that it needed to be done.

Eruhaben and Sui Khan were smirking while Mary was quietly standing there and Choi Han was avoiding his gaze.

—
Translator's Comments

Cale gone and messed up and everybody knows.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]