vs Holy Knights pt. 4
Having jumped high into the heavens, Shion observed the ground below.
A fearless smile appeared on her face and she released an ominous aura (haki).
Having easily found her prey, she descended upon a small squad of knights.
Leonard is, in fact, not a Knight Templar.
Only he who has mastered the Saint magic archive and the Elemental magic archive can call themselves with this title.
However, holy sword in hand, Leonard had engaged in many battles.
And at some point he had become division vice captain.
A beautiful sword hand. Where Arnaud’s sword symbolized power, Leonard’s embodied harmony.
That endurance elevated Arnaud as the strongest among the knights.
His sword skill would not lose to Arnaud, and his current fighting style would certainly not fail him.
However, the Templars did not base their evaluation on〈Elemental Magic〉archive.
Thus, Leonard convinced himself that true power consisted in reaching the pinnacle of the holy affinity.
That was his delusion born out of being saved by a hero during his childhood.
Simple, perfect strength.
Even wicked spirits far larger than a human were vanquished with a single stroke of the sword.
Since then, Leonard was fascinated with that mystical sword.
After becoming a Saint Wizard, he finally left for Ingracia Kingdom.
For an outsider to be allowed the pilgrimage, one would have to attain certain proficiency with the Sacret Magic.
Afterwards, during the spirit contract ceremony, he formed a contract with the Light and Darkness spirit.
Thus, began the life of the Light Templar Leonard.
A nightmare incarnate descended from the sky.
Without panicking, Leonard had already begun to order his men.
And had the rest set up a simple Holy Barrier as soon as possible.
Leonard’s magic perception identified the monster before him as unreasonably powerful. Even among A ranked monsters, she was far stronger.
On this battlefield, Leonard felt powerful existences in various direction through his perception magic.
There was only one enemy before them.
Negligence would result in death. He decided to dispose of her immediately.
「Set up the barrier for the target before us!」
He issued the order, judging that there was no time to analyze the enemy.
This is an excellent barrier which probably cannot be broken from the inside.
The space created is narrow, so could it block every attack is the question.
That’s why the barrier is normally made to be far larger.
Just in case, he had the second squad surround them all with a defense barrier.
They could attack from the outside, but they had to confirm the target before that.
On the off chance that the enemy had a rare reflect affinity, such carelessness would only lead to unnecessary casualties. He could hardly commit such a blunder.
When the dust settled, a single monster stood before them.
It was long enough to flow onto her back, and it suited her well. She had a beautiful face. But, two horns adorned her head.
She was clad in jet black armor. A bewitching beauty.
Her eyes, like two amethysts, focused on Leonard and she opened her mouth.
「My name is Shion. Rimuru-sama’s first servant.
“Obedience or death!”
Abandon your weapons and join me!」
She declared greatly emphasizing the words “first servant”.
She was clearly unnaturally strong. The enemy was probably an oni.
Sometimes called divine, there have been oni that have brought many calamities upon the world.
At this point, it may be more accurate to refer to her as a land god rather than a monster.
Bestowing happiness upon a hero with a kiss, this heavenly child could bestow a holy blessing upon them.
Thus, land gods, gods who protected people, and the like absolutely cannot be recognized.
「Silence! Wicked monster. We will cleanse the world of your unclean presence!」
Leonard called out and ordered the men to fire Holy Cannon at her.
Unlike Earth, Water, Fire, or Wind resistances, Holy and Dark attacks cannot be nullified.
Upon Leonard’s order, the knights began their assault.
Thus, an incessant rain of attacks fell upon Shion.
「Is that your answer? I’ll kill you?」
She said with a face of “Why do these people not listen to other’s words?”
However, that would hardly make her a threat.
They only had to keep up the barrier long enough for her to weaken.
The sword which had received so many Holy Affinity attacks showed no signs of breaking—so it could also be called abnormal.
Seems like one of the attacking knights had their bullet returned to them.
Which is normally impossible.
Panicking, Leonard ordered the onslaught to stop.
But being able to return their attacks from within the holy field far exceeded Leonard’s expectations.
While suppressing his surprise, Leonard clicked his tongue thinking about the next step.
Shion being Shion was simply upset at the fact that her attack did not go as intended.
While this barrier permits holy magic to pass through it, other attacks it blocks. Moreover, she tried this earlier, but it seems『Spatial Travel』has been sealed.
By now, her rampage was imminent.
「Hey… hey, guys. I’ll ask nicely, how about you drop the barrier, hmm?
How about it? Isn’t is a wonderful proposal? That’s the last warning I’ll give you, so how about it?」
She put effort into stifling her anger and asked them with a forced smile.
But, of course, the knights would not even consider it…
「Silence! Trapped within a barrier, how dare you act so high and mighty?!」
One of the knights replied.
That is caused simply by the fact that magical energy dissipates within it.
Which is why they limit themselves to using only the simplest skills.
Thus, just to be safe, Leonard had them set up a physical attack barrier. Setting up a barrier in regards to specific types of attacks is the norm.
He saw Shion pick up fist sized stones from the ground.
So he had the knights, especially the ones up close, guard against the attack.
Shion had thrown a stone at the knight. The stone reflected on the physical attack barrier.
And that’s her power in her weakened state, with her powers sealed.
The oni in front of him seemed upset and was stomping her feet.
Though she looks like an intellectual young girl, how cruel that lie is!
「Keep up the barrier with your lives if you have to! Those free, attune your spirit power to mine.
Converge the barrier on her to seal her movements! We can’t let her live!!」
When Disintegration captures its target it never lets go.
Moreover, it’s not a skill that every knight can use.
“Thank goodness I was here” Leonard thought, relieved.
It uses to much energy that it threatens the caster’s life.
Consider the rampaging demon before him.
Having thus decided, Leonard gave the order.
They all found the thought of this monster, who exerted so much strength inside the barrier, rampage freely too terrifying.
Collapsing the barrier on top of her, it turned into a pyramid shaped cage.
Shion looked at the cage of light.
The humans are looking down on her too much, Shion thought, and
「Begone demon! We cannot let such a dangerous being live!
This world needs only one god! Disintegration!!」
The strongest one of them cried.
At the same moment, from the four corners and the zenix of the pyramid she was in a violent light assaulted Shion.
「Don’t look down on me, human! Rimuru-sama, protect me!!」
Shion wrapped herself in all her magical energy, and prepared for the attack.
Without an explosion or heat, the light consumed her.
Though the monster’s death was certain, they would keep it up until ordered otherwise.
Even tempered knights could not avoid exhaustion. The fact that none of them died evidences how well superb they are.
But, he sighed too early. He should have done so after confirming that the monster was dead.
He had looked up to confirm the state of the target.
They were not able to burn everything away; some of it remained.
Leonard sighed again, preparing to crush the target.
They were truly fortunate to have been able to destroy it without a single casualty. Had they not made the first move, they might have all been killed.
And he began to consider his mission.
It was to support Hinata–a crucial mission. However, the oni’s attack had left his men exhausted.
He did not feel that a single division had succeeded.
(Slacking aren’t they… what a good opportunity. I’ll forge them anew when we get back)
Leonard thought, and intended to contact Arnaud, but…
「B-b-bastards…. U-unforgivable. I’ll never forgive you, human trash!!」
He felt a wicked presence behind him, and turned around.
In the middle of the holy field, like a zombie or a ghoul, something was gathering itself together.
The knights, their faces deathly blue, looked at Leonard.
「I-impossible! How can you still live after being hit by disintegration?!」
He couldn’t help but exclaim.
But, it couldn’t be helped. If anything, it’s the monster that survived Disintegration that exceeds the laws of the world.
Returning to her original form in less than a minute, this is what she said.
「I’ll show you the same level of pain, the same level of suffering, and twice the fear, humans!!」
An ominous crimson light shining in her eyes, Shion bellowed.
It wasn’t simply effective. And the relieved knights’ faces were covered in fear.
Cracks ran across the whole barrier. And…
「Hmph, as I thought. It’s not a high density barrier, but one that tampers with the laws of the world a bit.
Well, something like that can be changed with one of the effects of my『Cook』skill」
She said and cut the surprised knight standing in front of Leonard.
Did she surpass his sight by that much? While feeling the sense of dread intensified, he casted full recovery magic on the knight.
It did not activate.
Which caused Leonard to tremble,
「Kukuku, you fool. I made that human’s limbless state the norm.
What good would recovery magic do? He’s perfectly fine already!」
Shion happily explained.
In fact, he had noticed, but did not want to accept it, when she had rewritten the effects of the Holy Field.
She overwrites the nature of the object itself. She has a skill that allows her to obtain a desired effect.
Even if you try to oppose her, she’ll just overwrite it with a stronger wish. Only those who possess a similar skill can oppose her.
He figured there was no way he could oppose her.
So he thought. Understanding that a demon had been let loose upon the world.
「No way…. it’s impossible… this kind of fiend cannot possibly…」
Fear.
Leaving Leonard for later, she first went for the despairing knights and the exhausted who could no longer run away.
Leonard felt as if he were going mad from fear.
And in his ear,
「So you are next?」
A sweet voice whispered.
Now Leonard would come to know true fear.