The uncontrollable power is like poison that tightens its own neck.
This was a phrase that Usher had always heard, and at the same time, it was a phrase that would be considered central to his vision.
Because of this, Usher did not handle the divine power with the body of Bersia.
The overwhelming mass she possessed was clearly of a type that was beyond Usher’s control.
However, every proverb’s application changes depending on the situation.
Healing for an unspecified number of people fallen across a vast land.
In such cases, it was much more effective to indiscriminately release the overflowing divine power.
Zzzzzzzzzzz-!
It was more of a divine punishment than a healing light.
The golden flash shattered into dozens and hundreds of beams that struck the ground, and when the beams touched the ground, the nearby curses screamed and disappeared.
Usher was shocked inside.
‘I didn’t expect it to be like this…!’
It was the first time he deliberately released the divine power at full output.
Seeing the scene unfold, he realized once again just how monstrous Bersia was.
In the meantime, civilians freed from the curse began to regain their senses one by one. They grabbed their blurry vision and looked at Usher, who was the source of the light.
A halo vibrating and scattering light, wings created from flashes.
From the perspective of others, that was how it appeared.
“An angel…?”
“……”
Usher’s lips tightened, and his cheeks slightly flushed.
Bersia chimed in.
“Wow, totally an angel.”
“Hoozumsseups…”
This was not the time for jokes.
After clearing his throat, Usher shouted, infusing his voice with divine power.
[Everyone who can walk, please leave this place! If anyone is trapped under debris, please rescue them!]
It was a voice that rang like a clear bell. The shout, infused with the prayer of healing, sounded almost like a sacred whisper.
In most situations beyond understanding, humans instinctively feel awe. The civilians were no different.
“Ah…! Aah!”
“I can hear the angel’s voice…!”
“We need to rescue… we have to rescue them…!”
Those who had regained their senses quickly carried those who had lost theirs and began to leave the area.
The number of people on the street was decreasing.
However, the number of non-humans was increasing.
Creak! Creak!
A mercenary group fully armed appeared.
It was the Lion’s Legion, the Sandstorm.
They seemed to be beyond communication. Their eyes, now visible, were completely white.
They appeared to be under brainwashing.
“It looks like we have to break through, right?”
At Bersia’s words, Usher nodded but showed hesitation.
There might still be civilians left.
He couldn’t use offensive prayers in this way.
Still, the Sandstorm numbers were growing.
Before long, they began surrounding Usher and Bersia on all sides, and their numbers reached into the hundreds.
It was a crisis.
Just as Usher was about to clench his teeth in response,
“Let’s goooooooo!”
“Waah!”
A cheer came from somewhere.
Then the sound of angry footsteps followed.
Clash!
The sound of weapons clashing rang out.
And then came the screams.
Usher turned his head in surprise.
Then he saw it.
“Big Ten?”
Hundreds of mercenaries, armed and clashing with the encroaching Sandstorm, had reached Usher.
At the forefront were the pillars of Baern, known as Big Ten.
Had they come to support?
But how? Just as Usher wondered, a figure appeared among them.
It was Gester, no longer in his disguise, and on his back was the former king wrapped in cloth.
“Hey! Are you okay!”
The street had turned into chaos in an instant.
The clash between the Sandstorm and Big Ten was creating a bloody scene.
However, the situation had improved significantly.
Usher muttered in shock.
“How…?”
“Heh, you seem quite surprised, young lady. We need to seize the opportunity. This is the perfect condition to oust those who rose through treason.”
Gester pointed at his father, still on his back.
“I was trying to evacuate, but I realized running away wouldn’t solve anything. I found something I could do and ended up here.”
Gester’s gaze turned toward Bersia.
He still didn’t know that Usher and Bersia had switched bodies.
“Usher, I told them you and your group from the Holy Church were here to catch a witch. I said the current monarchy and Sandstorm were in league with the witch and that if we didn’t drive them out, Baern would fall. They seemed to follow that.”
“That can’t be the only reason.”
Bersia spoke with insight.
Gester grinned.
“After we drive those guys out, we’ll need a new monarchy and the Lion’s Legion to fill that gap.”
The monarchy has Quolin.
What about the Lion’s Legion? The one who earns the glory in this war will decide that.
Now Usher understood why Big Ten was desperately charging forward.
Gester took a deep breath and readjusted his father on his back.
“Usher, you know, even though our old man looks like this now, he used to be a stubborn guy, second to none. He’s not the type to enjoy withering away. Look at this! He looks better than when he was lying down.”
The reason he looked better was because of Usher’s prayer.
The wide-ranging divine power had neutralized some of the poison that was consuming his body.
There was no need to go into details about that.
“Go, Usher. And miss, beat up that witch or whatever she is!”
“You…”
“I have to stay here. Ten years. I’ve been waiting for a day like today for ten years. I might not be able to kill the witch myself, but today’s the day I can beat the hell out of those damn Sandstorm bastards.”
Thunk. Gester punched Usher in the stomach.
Bersia glanced at him and nodded.
“Stay alive. We’ll have a drink later.”
“Of course!”
It was then.
“Boss! We brought weapons!”
Usher’s eyes widened.
Bersia’s expression was the same.
The man running toward them, carrying weapons, looked quite familiar.
It was Zern Usiope, the current crown prince and Gester’s cousin.
Looking at Gester, he awkwardly said,
“He said he’d help. He said things should be corrected if they’re wrong.”
He looked uncomfortable.
In contrast, Zern was following behind with a flushed face, full of enthusiasm.
Bersia murmured in a voice only Usher could hear.
“Just as expected, an incestuous gay.”
Usher pinched Bersia’s waist and spoke.
“Then, please take care of it!”
“Trust me! I’m counting on you!”
Usher turned around and ran toward the main force of Sandstorm.
Bersia followed closely.
This was different from when they were surrounded by enemies on all sides.
The troops of Big Ten cleared a path for them. Their leaders clearly demonstrated why Big Ten was called Big Ten.
“You bastards! The angel is coming out!!!”
“Move! Move, I said!!!”
Somehow, here too, they were calling her an angel.
Bersia laughed and said,
“Wherever we go, they call us goddesses or angels. At this point, it might just be in your nature.”
“Shut up!”
With some space, Usher felt the urge to snap.
The halo was still spinning above her head, making a kiiiiiing sound.
It was a bit faster than before.
It was only now that Usher realized, the rotation speed of the halo also had something to do with how embarrassed she felt, in addition to the divine power output.
The interior of the main force was a scene that could not be called the human world.
The walls were covered with human blood and flesh, and the decorations inside had a sinister, religious tone.
It was like looking at a temple inside the entrails of some monster.
Kaol, a top-ranking member of Sandstorm, felt uneasy about this.
“Captain…!”
He called out to Grost in a voice tinged with anxiety.
But Grost remained expressionless, his eyes closed tightly.
“Isn’t this really wrong? Damn it, Big Ten is all outside. Even hunters who are after that witch, Captain,”
“Th…!”
It was a clear act of treason. If they kept going like this, it would turn into a revolution.
If Sandstorm disappeared, Kaol’s dreams would vanish too.
Power, authority, and women. If he became the leader of the Lion’s Legion, there was endless enjoyment waiting for him.
That’s why he followed Grost, but if they kept going like this, all he saw was a future of execution.
“Say something! Captain!”
In desperation, he grabbed Grost by the collar.
He had to persuade him.
If they could claim that they had been deceived by the witch and ask for help, they might be able to save their lives.
However, Grost, who was wearing a black ceremonial robe, still did not open his eyes.
Then suddenly,
Thwack!
He punched Kaol in the chest.
Kaol looked down at his chest in disbelief.
Blood poured out from the gaping hole.
He lifted his head again. Grost was now looking down at him.
“Ugh…”
“That’s why you can’t make it.” Kaol.
A deep, heavy voice echoed in his ears.
A trace of pity appeared in Grost’s eyes.
“Your desire to just lord over a desert city. Your vile inability to see that there are ideals greater than material things.”
Grost placed his hand on Kaol’s shoulder.
“You are incredibly pathetic. I pity your narrow view.”
“… …”
“It never mattered from the beginning. The Lion’s Legion of Baeren, the protection of the royal family. I didn’t come all this way to gain such small honors. This is just a process.”
A cold flame glowed in Grost’s eyes. It was an obsession that could only be called madness.
“I will become a superhuman, Kaol. A superhuman greater than that man.”
It sounded like nonsense.
However, unfortunately, Kaol could hear no more.
Thunk-
Kaol’s body tilted and collapsed to the side.