Chapter 19 - The being called ‘Kreutz’ (1/2)
The voice that echoed was Syltina’s.
In the darkness, where one couldn’t identify left nor right, it was the lone voice that rang clearly.
“Let the unforgivable karma come to light. I am the one who will hand down your judgment.”
As soon as Syltina’s words ended, the spreading darkness instantly gathered at the top of Rufhana village, forming a palm-sized orb.
“Repent!”
Syltina brought down her raised right hand.
At the same time, the orb of darkness started to descend to Rufhana village and burst just before it arrived at the village. The fragments that popped off from the orb of darkness moved as if they were living beings and made their way into the village.
The moment it faced off with the demons who were wandering in the village, it changed from just darkness into black flames and attacked the demons. The demons who touched the black flames burned up in a flash, leaving nary a trace as they burned out. The demons let out otherworldly screams as they burned up one after another.
Within a few minutes, the cries coming from all over the village died out.
“Wh-what in the world….?”
Milliane, who watched everything unfold, whispered, wondering where the darkness covering everything moments ago suddenly disappeared to.
“That’s Syltina’s and Kuro’s ‘composite magic’…….. Aaand, there you go….”
Alhart explains while using his magic and sword to finish off the demons who escaped from the black flames.
“Darkness, Fire, and Wind attribute………..but, Kreutz-sama….that’s…what exactly is…….”
The demons inside the village have been wiped out. The black flames once again reverted to darkness, and began to gather directly above Rufhana village.
“That’s Kuro’s true form.”
“Eh!?”
“That very being is darkness, you see. He dwells in people’s hearts, he is the antithesis to everything, he is the instinctive fear that every being harbors. He is the despair that does not shine even a single light and is also the tranquility that wraps up everything. That’s him. Syltina’s familiar, Kreutz.”
“That very being is darkness……”
“He doesn’t have a true ‘form’. That’s why he can be anything. A human, a horse, a cat, or even a bird. However, for that very reason, he can’t be anything either. Sad, isn’t it?”, Alhart said, gently directing his gaze towards Kreutz, who had reverted back to an orb.
”The flame that he produces burns everything. Whether it’s living or not, justice or evil, right or wrong, beautiful or dirty, those trivialities don’t matter. It burns everything it touches into nothing. When Kuro takes on a ‘form’, his power is suppressed to some extent. You saw it with the bandits from that time, didn’t you? Kuro’s black flames merely burned the bandits and didn’t erase them. That’s why you and I, or Saint-sama and her company didn’t suffer from any injuries. That was how Kuro adjusted his flames. However, if he reverts to his original form, that suppression is lost. He attacks with his black flames indiscriminately, chaotically, and in full power. It’s Syltina who controls that.”
The orb of darkness continued to repeatedly contract and expand, gradually taking on a form.
”Syltina uses the wind to keep the spreading darkness from attacking indiscriminately, and adjusts the direction and power of the black flames so that no damage is done to anything but the demons. In order to control the enormous amount of darkness and adjust the black flames, it is necessary to possess large amounts of magic power, concentration, and control. After that, Sylti decides.—”
“Ah!”
Syltina swayed and fell down due to gravity.
But, just before she could hit the ground, Kreutz, who had yet to take on a form, acted as a cushion and slipped between her body and the ground.
“She always faints.”
Alhart sighed, as he slashed the last demon in sight before approaching the two.
“Kuro, hand over Sylti to me.”
“……”
“You can’t do anything in that form either, can you? Give Sylti to me and quickly take on a form. We’re still not done here after all.”
“……”
Kreutz who had yet to take on a ‘form’ understood the situation and reluctantly handed Syltina over to Alhart.
“Well then. Tyr!!”
“Yes, master.”
“Please confirm whether there are still any survivors around.”
“Understood.”
Tyrtinkle dissolved the Wind Blade Prison and, as instructed by Arhalt, headed towards Rufhana village alongside the wind.
After laying Syltina on the ground, Alhart turns to face Milliane.
“Milliane-sama, can you put up a light barrier around the village?
“Ah, y-yes.”
After seeing Milliane nod and activate her magic, Alhart once again turns to face Kreutz.
“Alright, you’ve more or less taken on human form.”
“Master, I have confirmed that there are no more survivors around. The extermination has been completed.”
Tyrtinkle, who headed to Rufhana village, returned and reported to Alhart, who nodded satisfactorily and Kreutz, who was slowly taking on human form.
“All right. If that’s the case, then after taking a proper form, wake Sylti up so we can have the Saintess perform the purification for us. Hurry up.”