I Obtained the Final Boss' Power

Chapter 147 : Rampage (1)

Rampage (1)

Paulo, who had slain Saber and Shalio in a single instant, led the elf children back to the village.

"We can't just leave them like this."

He emitted aura once again, targeting the four he had cut down.

In that moment, as if caught by telekinesis, their severed bodies began to float in midair.

"Wowww...."

Though the grisly sight of those grotesque bodies rising was horrifying, to the children, what Paulo had caused looked mystical.

"Is this amazing to everyone?"

"Yes. Grandpa, are you a mage by any chance?"

"Hohoho..."

Paulo let out a hearty laugh at the elf children's question.

"Where in the world is there a mage who wields a sword?"

"Then how did you do that?"

"Hmm... How should I explain this..."

After thinking for a moment, Paulo snorted and said,

"Just remember this. Once you've honed your strength to the extreme, you cannot distinguish it from magic."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll understand someday as you live."

When Paulo left them only with riddles, members of the special task force rushed over.

"Legion commander!"

"So you finally made it?"

"So those guys tried to escape here."

Victor spoke as he looked at the four, suspended by telekinetic aura.

"You were late finding them. I've already handled it."

"Commander, we've caused you trouble again."

"What do you mean trouble. I volunteered for this myself, didn't I?"

He holds the position of commander of the 7th Legion, the most notorious unit in the Imperial Court.

Such a role required overwhelming strength as well as formidable charisma.

Not even the royal family of the Imperial Court could easily command him.

So, how did someone like him end up leading children in such a remote village, even leaving the crucial 7th Legion vacant for a time?

"Of course, I didn't intend to take action at first. Not long ago, Louis, that boy, pleaded for help, and it was so absurd I took notice."

About a month ago.

The special task force, including Louis, infiltrated the elf village and seized control.

When Paulo first heard the news, he was uncharacteristically shocked.

Everyone on the continent knew what the elves were responsible for managing.

"But the truth that boy unearthed—after hearing it, I couldn't just stand by."

Louis sent over a recording magitech device via a spirit, saying it was information he had uncovered in that village.

The footage recorded in that device and the truth Louis relayed in his letter were both shocking.

That the World Tree, believed to support the world, was already long dead.

"To think the Holy Nation concealed such a crucial fact, sacrificing people for its own gain."

And not even its own citizens—those sacrificed were, from the point of view of the Imperial Court, its own people.

"And to think that even a man who was once my comrade became one of those victims."

What truly devastated Paulo was exactly that.

Andrew Weissman—a Swordmaster equal to himself—had become nothing but a mummy-like husk.

"I'm certain of one thing, after all this."

After discovering this, Paulo could do nothing but accept Louis's plea.

"The Holy Nation is the enemy of the Imperial Court."

Just for their pointless schemes, using the elves to work people to death was a major crime.

And not even revealing the state of the World Tree was unforgivable.

"We were shocked too. Forcing heavy labor to pretend the dead World Tree was still alive...."

"It was the sacred stone, right? They claimed they needed to make it..."

"Honestly, even taking Pram—calling her a Saint—was just to use her as a tool to create that!"

Victor, Simon, and Rozen each voiced their outrage in turn.

They, too, had been deeply shocked when they first heard it.

"We had no idea and just handed Pram over...."

"But don't worry. Young master will bring her back soon enough."

"Anyway, this is the end for the Holy Nation, right?"

"No. It's not just that."

At that moment, Paulo pointed at the four floating by telekinesis.

"Don't you guys see anything odd about them?"

"Come to think of it...."

"Their bodies are cut in half, but...."

They were still alive. As if they were moving corpses, they kept breathing, even with their limbs and heads separated.

"A little while ago, those guys drank something like a stimulant to make their final stand. It was created from the strength of the Great Devil."

"The Great Devil?"

It was the same kind used by Palmon, Wigmon, and Duramon, villains they had fought in the past.

"That stimulant was even a gift to these ones from the Holy Nation."

"The ones who claim to hate evil use the very power of the Great Devil...."

The Holy Nation, wielding the power of the king of wickedness?

Anyone would scoff at that and laugh in ridicule.

"Anyway, with this, not only the Imperial Court but the nearby smaller nations will turn their backs on the Holy Nation."

At the same time, even within the Holy Nation, civil war would likely break out.

The people deceived all this time were victims too.

Especially for the elves, the future was bleak and dark.

Any elf connected with this couldn't hope for a peaceful end.

That was why Louis asked.

'I thought he was just a madman—but he was more moral than I expected.'

The ones who committed those acts were the elders and the adult elves.

If the children were left alone, what would happen?

Ignorant, they'd dream of vengeance—just like Saber, who held senseless hostility toward the 7th Legion.

"Anyway, for these children's sake, Louis must return as soon as possible."

"Well, young master was the first to make that proposal."

Victor looked up at the bird-shaped spirit hovering in the sky.

With a half-worried heart, he waved to the spirit's eyes, as if to say: If you're watching, please be at ease.

****

"Looks like it's all been resolved safely."

Meanwhile, watching the projection floating in midair, Silia said with relief.

"The Legion Commander also cooperated well," she added.

Through the recording magitech device, they could observe the situation in Seifert village.

Just moments earlier, the four who'd taken hostages in the village had been cut to pieces by Paulo.

Having watched the entire thing from beginning to end, Louis' burning eyes finally calmed with relief.

"How... how could this happen..."

In stark contrast, the High Priest Tyrone staggered back in horror.

"Why is a Swordmaster of the Imperial Court there?!"

He trembled at the unexpected intervention of such a powerful figure.

But this was no time to bemoan failed plans—escaping was the smarter choice.

"You're the only one left, then?"

"Gasp!"

Louis' words made Tyrone recoil in terror; the murderous intent in his voice was palpable.

"This was your plan, wasn't it?"

"That's..."

"Do you realize what you've caused?"

More than anyone, Louis's fury was boundless.

"What are you going to do about my parents' graves?"

His only parents, Lord Seifert and his lady, had even had their remains obliterated.

"Wait! I never gave the order to destroy those graves!"

He insisted that he'd only instructed them to stage a hostage incident.

As Tyrone pleaded, Louis walked towards him, step by slow step.

"Don't worry. After you, I'll kill those bastards just the way I want."

At Louis' demonic voice, tyrone shuddered. Muttering about having no choice, he pulled out a vial.

This was an elixir containing Duramon's strength—the same type Saber had taken.

But unlike Saber's, it was white.

"This was supposed to be the last resort!"

The moment he drank it, wings sprouted from Tyrone's back.

At the same time, a pure white flash burst out, and powerful magic power began to swirl inside him.

"It's a potion that turns people into angels. Saber got a failed batch, but this—I can guarantee its perfect effect!"

Tyrone aimed his magic-filled hand.

"Die!"

A powerful lightning bolt shot toward Louis.

KWAANG!—

But it never hit Louis.

"Angel, my ass."

"KRAAAHH!"

Louis, evading the lightning with ease, grabbed Tyrone's face and slammed him into the ground.

"You only became a demonkin, just disguised as an angel."

"Urgh..."

Louis could tell from the scent alone.

The more he looked, the more aggravating Tyrone became. Without hesitation, he tore into his neck.

"AAAGGH!!"

"What, now."

It was a gruesome sight—a human neck torn apart. Yet Tyrone didn't die.

"Amazing, isn't it? Are you immortal?"

"Guuughh..."

"Then that means I can kill you as many ways as I like?"

Louis tossed Tyrone's body to the floor and stomped on him.

The sounds of skin and viscera bursting echoed.

Even so, tyrone didn't die and kept regenerating.

Louis, face alight with joy, continued to kill him again and again.

Though not a monster yet, Louis was monstrous enough already.

****

Meanwhile, the elders were performing a ritual on the roof of the World Tree research lab.

It was the usual ritual of offering the sacred stones to the World Tree.

In the center of the magic array they had drawn lay the sacred stone personally produced by the prophesied Saint.

In time, the sacred stones became light and were absorbed by the World Tree.

"But... will this really work? That monster boy doesn't seem likely to leave us be."

"But it's far too late to turn back now. Have you forgotten why we offer the sacred stone to the World Tree?"

Of course, they hadn't. They were using the World Tree, saturated with the sacred stone, as a weapon.

"As long as the World Tree absorbs the sacred stone, everything will be over."

"And since it's absorbed the Saint's sacred stone, it'll reach completion soon."

Though they feared Louis's gaze, the elders were filled with anticipation for the weapon the World Tree would become.

In the end, for them, this was the only road left. It was far too late to turn back. Now all that was left was to push forward....

"Huh?"

"What's wrong?"

"The World Tree..."

The elders' faces twisted in shock one after another.

"What?"

Suddenly, the World Tree lost its light.

Gradually, it began to wither, turning into a rotting stump.

The elders stared, dumbfounded.

The World Tree—the tree of life they had watched over for ages—collapsed without warning.

****

KUGUGUGUGUGU!!!—

"Huh?"

A tremendous crash came from the center of the village.

Was it an earthquake?

The sound grew ever more violent, as if the world itself were screaming.

"O-Over there!!"

Looking that way, Silia cried out in disbelief.

It was truly an unbelievable sight.

"The World Tree...."

Kelian, too, was at a loss for words. The World Tree—once only a legend—was actually starting to collapse.

Though it had always been dead, it had at least stood firm until now.

Now, for some reason, it was withering and crumbling away all of a sudden.

"Wh-what??"

"...?"

Bellain, lying on the ground, reacted the same way.

And Tyrone, crushed into mush, was also struck with horror.

"Y-Young master, what is happening?"

Of course, Rio, not knowing what was going on, asked Louis.

But even among everyone panicking, one person was strangely unaffected.

"Young master?"

Even when Rio tugged at his clothes, Louis didn't react at all.

"..."

Louis was simply watching the crumbling World Tree in silence.

"Hehehe...."

Suddenly, he started to laugh.

"HEHEHEHE!!"

Louis's eyes gleamed red.

"Lu-Louis?"

"Hey, man! What's wrong with you!"

Silia and Kelian felt a chilling sensation from Louis.

An odd intuition told them—if they left Louis unchecked, everyone would die.

"Louis, snap out of it!"

Trusting their instincts, Silia reached out her hand, trying to activate the torturous spell inscribed on the back of her hand.

"Huh?"

It was gone. The spell that should've been there had vanished.

"What the...?"

Kelian was no different. As a 7th Legion officer, there should've been a spell on his body—but it had disappeared.

"HEHEHEHEHE!!"

And thus, the beast that never should have awakened, awakened at last.