Thanks for your continued support. If you like my writing style, check out my original works at , or just leave a comment.
Bakapervert translated this chapter. Bakapervert did the edits.
____________________________________
Mankind’s Struggle (First Part)
Turning back the time a bit.
The surface of the world was completely changed by the erosion of dark red color that looked like the eyes of a monster. And then, a crack of space that exposed the abyss appeared at the sky of such bizarre world.
After Hajime and others safely jumped into that crack of space which scattered muddy black miasma――the gate that connected toward Holy Precincts, the apostles of god that swarmed that place turned on their heel still with an expressionless face.
What was reflected in the inhuman eyes looking down from the great height, was the crowd of people who displayed their insolence by trying to oppose god’s will.
Judgment of god.
Those words were murmured in one voice.
If the people at the ground heard those words, surely they would object
There is not even a speck of reason for us to be judged!
with a loud voice.
But, the puppets of god that wouldn’t even lend any ear to that objection swung their twin large swords once, then they flapped their wings and began to descend all at once. They only revised their orbit using their silver wings. Next, the large number of apostles rapidly approached toward the allied force mostly by freefalling while leaving a silver trail behind like a swarm of meteors.
Thinking of the apostles’ spec, in this battlefield where bug character like Hajime and others were gone, there was no existence that could possibly stop these women. Even if there were a lot of people in possession of item like the artifacts that could launch flash(Anti-Material Rifle) which covered the penetration of Hajime and others into Holy Precincts, but there was no reason that mere ‘human’ could hope to match them.
Therefore, for the apostles what would be starting from here on wouldn’t a battle, it would be a curbstomp without any doubt, just a light work like mowing down grass.
…was what they thought how it was supposed to be.
That thought only continued until their whole field of vision was buried in barrages of bullets.
Attackkk!! No need for even a drop of mercy or reservation-! Pound away with the intention of using up all your ammooo!!
An amplified command resounded among the allied force, at the same time bullets barrage were fired without pause from the whole allied force soldiers.
Every single soldier aimed rifle gun toward the sky and pulled the trigger, each time the trigger was pulled the internal mineral that had been enchanted with ‘Lightning Clad’ electromagnetically accelerated the pseudo-full metal jacket bullet and fired it.
The all out firing from all the rifle guns that had been distributed to all the soldiers of allied force became several millions of flashes just for the first wave attack that pierced the sky.
Furthermore, the large gatling railguns that were fixed at the fortress and trenches completely blanketed the sky with flashes simultaneously. The number of the gatling railguns in total was a thousand. A thousand of the monstrous railguns with twelve thousand shots per minute roared simultaneously.
That wasn’t all.
In addition, a thousand stationary large Orkan released a few hundred missiles loaded inside them almost at the same time. The spectacle of orange fire trail rushing to the sky all at once could be described as a masterpiece.
Regarding the weapons, the people with fast understanding were given priority to be a shooter, they had practiced handling the weapon until the last minute, so the weapons that were the hybrid of top of the line modern weapon and alternate world fantasy could muster their fury without taking too much time. The characteristic advantage of modern weapon where ‘it wasn’t influenced by the skill of the individual’ was exhibited in ample here.
In an instant, the sky was completely covered by swarms of flashes and missiles, they easily swallowed the apostles who kept descending down.
The swarms of railguns that already should be called as a wall mercilessly gouged out the apostles, opening wind holes in their body one after another, the swarms of missiles grandly scattered flame blast and shockwave everywhere and bloomed crimson lotus in the sky. The apostles that got dragged into that blooming were toyed around inside the storm of explosions and their body burst and scattered.
However, even though the first wave of the apostles got easily killed because they let their guard down, the enemy over there was the apostle of god. They immediately put their guard up, weaved through the barrage, slashed away the flashes, or used their silver wings for defense and forcefully broke through to approach their enemy.
Naïve.
The one who was lifting the corner of his lips in fearless smirk was the sniper of Hauria race who played a very active role when Hajime and others stormed the Holy Precincts. It was ‘Bardfeld of Certain Death’, ten years old.
Across the scope that was enchanted with ‘Foresight’ which displayed the future position of the enemy as a phantom image, he stared at an apostle that slipped through a flame blast and naturally pulled the trigger with quiet breathing.
Immediately, a cannon shot that was specialized for penetration similar with Schlagen became a flash, with a superb timing it attacked the apostle who was going to move to attack right now, the flash then cleanly blown up her head.
Scenes similar with that were also accomplished here and there by the grand flashes that were fired from everywhere in the fortress and trenches. This feat was achieved by the sniper team that was fully equipped with the improved version of Schlagen.
Perhaps judging that such snipers were a danger, the apostles followed the line of fire and directed their gazes toward the snipers that included ‘Bardfeld of Certain Death’ and they flew out all at once at them…
This time, it was the golem soldiers who were standing by at the back of the snipers, with gatling cannons in both hands and missile pods equipped on their shoulders, they began simultaneous strafing fire to protect the snipers.
――
The apostles gulped and attempted to evade.
But it was too slow. At this point of time, the snipers were already catching the prey across the scope. Faster than even their mind, their finger leaned on the trigger and quietly pulled. It was as though their body had known the best timing.
The result was just a matter of course. The sky was decorated with blooming crimson flowers once more.
Even though this was supposed to be an easy work that was equal with a mere slaughter, even though the monsters were supposed to be already gone from this place, for some reason it was only the apostles who got killed one-sidedly. Weren’t they the apostle of god? Weren’t they standing at far away height that human couldn’t possibly arrive at, created by the supreme existence as the greatest fighting strength?
The apostles naturally narrowed their gaze.
Know how futile your resistance is.
One of the apostles whispered.
Right after that, they stopped descending and rained down silver bombardments all at once from long range toward the ground.
It was a silver colored squall.
It was a really beautiful and fantastical spectacle, but the tragic result this local heavy rain would bring about was the very definition of atrocity itself.
Some part of this was offset by the barrages of bullet, but the bombardment that came from apostles whose body was clad with silver magic power in strengthened state slipped through the barrages mostly intact and approached the ground.
…And then,
Great Barrier start up!
It was held back above the allied force.
The improved great barrier that was activated following the command of the commander Liliana, blocked the meteor shower of death.
Against the silver flash that possessed disintegration ability, even if it was the great barrier that was an age of god artifact that had protected the capital of the kingdom for many years, originally the best it could do would be to hold on for a few moments. But, right now the great barrier that had been applied with Hajime’s improvement was spreading in rainbow ripple and firmly protected the allied force.
The great barrier that originally was deployed in three layers with the strength of each layer depending on proportion with the range was now focused into a single layer which increased its toughness. Naturally, it was also strengthened using sublimation magic. By no means it could perfectly oppose the disintegration ability, but it was capable enough to make the apostles to spend some time breaking through.
And then, the time that was bought from that was for the sake of showing the next hand to recover from the hopeless situation.
The blow from the first barrage was merely a surprise attack against the arrogant apostles. With these women who literally had specs that were in a different league compared to human as the opponent, they would surely adapt after the first attack. Therefore, the humans had to carry out the plan so they could fight the apostles.
That plan was,
To the choir squad. Please give the fall toward the puppets who proclaimed themselves as angel!
The order of Liliana that was amplified in sound resounded in the battlefield.
The target of that command was the people who looked like clergyman that gathered at the rooftop of the fortress, there were even women and children included among them.
With a solemn atmosphere that didn’t suit the battlefield, everyone put their hands together in front of their chest with uniform movement, taking a praying pose. All of them were the clergymen of the church who spread the teaching of the holy church in the remote region, that was to say they were the remains of the holy church. They were people who had separated from the central church, or possibly they had too much of pure faith that they were driven away from central as troublesome people.
Those people who were in a sense were the true clergymen followed the direction of an aging man clad in priest clothing standing in front of them, then they opened their mouths slowly.
――――♪
A melody resounded.
It was a holy song. A song that blessed the people and condemned the people that trampled on peace and love. A solemn melody of sacred protection and judgment.
A magic circle was floating beneath the choir. Through the crystals that were put here and there on it, the power of the holy song itself was amplified to terrific level.
That song which pushed through the explosive and thunderous sounds of the weapons and resounded throughout the battlefield naturally reached the ears of the apostles who were launching all-out bombardment to break the great barrier.
Immediately,
――, this is, my strength-
One of the apostles leaked out a surprised voice.
That was surely something that couldn’t be helped for her. After all, the proof of strengthening that was the silver light which enveloped her body had dispersed, in exchange there was crimson light coiling around her before she felt her strength leaving her body like water that flowed out from a container with opened cork.
Once the pope Ishtar invoked this magic――’Holy Song of Supreme Degeneration’ toward Hajime who was facing the apostle Nointo at the sky above the God Mountain. It was a brutal magic that combined the effects of obstructing the target’s movement and weakened their strength as long as the song was resounding.
Now this song had its effect amplified using sublimation magic, in addition, it was also enchanted with the words of power that stopped the body function of Kaori and did her in before, Hajime reproduced the effect using soul magic and enchanted it through the medium of crystal pillars.
As expected, driving the apostles until they went out of service or completely weakening them were impossible, but the song was still able to obstruct the strengthened state of the apostles, in addition, it also could drop the specs of the apostles until nearly sixty percent of their original specs.
Tsk, eliminating.
The gazes of the apostles were directed at the choir which was the source of their abnormality. They planned to prioritize eliminating the choir.
Several of the apostles formed a group and they began to lift their large swords simultaneously. Right after that, their magic power was focused and formed a swelling silver sun.
Although only a bit of time had passed, but the great barrier was already screaming from receiving disintegration ability from countless apostles. If it got hit by the focused silver bombardment, it would surely become unable to endure this time and got smashed.
But, that too is within expectation. Please prioritize the apostles whose movements are stopping!
Liliana’s command resounded for the third time. That command was conveyed to all leaders of each squad, then they further gave that instruction to the subordinates under them to prioritize targeting the apostles who were concentrating in the focused bombardment.
The swarm of fire lines reached out from the ground toward the sky, the thickness of this wave was by no means diluted. It wasn’t diluting at all. The people with high shooting ability obeyed the command and sniped at the unmoving apostles simultaneously.
The apostles who weren’t involved with the focused bombardment defended against this attack. Using their twin large swords, their silver wings, feathers, they intercepted the attack. However, with their specs that had been forcefully lowered down and the crimson light that was coiling around their body and hindered their movement, so they were unable to deal with surging waves of the excessively mighty attacks which weren’t depending on the user’s specs.
One apostle, and then one more apostle, the apostle who were supposed to be absolute strong person were slaughtered with wind holes opened all over their body.
Irregular-, even when you are not here you are still making a nuisance against us-
The crimson light was coiling around the apostles mockingly. That was the radiance of the monster who had driven them away many times over. Seeing that light, the voice of the apostles who proclaimed that they were without emotion or anything turned a bit rough. They vaguely visualized in their mind a white-haired and eye-patched young man giving them a middle finger with a fearless grin.
However, it didn’t mean that the allied force was able to shoot down all the apostles, finally the focusing finished and the light of devastation was emitted from the silver sun.
GOU! The atmosphere shook, the silver bombardment that was the result of the focus of fifty apostles hit the great barrier.
The rainbow ripple undulated fiercely, biki biki with cracking sounds cracks entered the great barrier.
You guuys, put your spirit in iit!
Such angry yell resounded at a corner of the fortress where the artifact of the great barrier was positioned. That was the angry voice of Wolpen who was the chief transmutation master of the kingdom. The artifact whose cracking was spreading due to the severe burden was repaired in real time using transmutation by the craftsmen led by Wolpen. Their hands were equipped with fingerless gloves that raised their transmutation ability. It was a romance glove that was a quality product of Hajime.
Chief-, it’s impossible already-! It cannot hold out!
Chih, can’t be helped then. Abandon the great barrier! After activating the small scale barrier, we are going to concentrate at multiple barriers for the choir!
ROGER-
After the great barrier was smashed, Wolpen and others activated the small scale barrier that defended temporarily against the bombardment that might pierce through, like that they ran around busily. They abandoned the barrier that protected the allied force and poured all their strength to the barrier artifact that focused on protecting the choir.
The moment they abandoned the transmutation for repairing in real-time, the cracks on the cylinder artifact spread all at once, and then a beat later the sound of pulverizing was echoing while small pieces flew everywhere.
That sound of pulverizing also resounded from the rainbow great barrier outside the fortress.
Similar like what was once seen at the kingdom capital, sparkling fragments were scattering and vanishing.
The apostles flapped their silver wings and flew in all at once. Their target was apparent at a glance. It was the choir that shaved off their specs until sixty percent.
Right now the rooftop where the choir was located at was enveloped by a multi-layered rainbow barrier that looked like the great barrier. By compressing the barrier into small scale and making it multi-layered, on the whole it had a hardness that surpassed the great barrier. But, if it was aimed by concentrated attacks then it would be surely got smashed through in less than a few minutes.
Uu, aAAAAAAAA-!!
One of the holy knights that was placed outside the barrier as protection for the choir raised a war cry and brandished his sword. He shook off his body that was naturally paralyzed from the majestic appearance of the approaching apostles by screaming.
A nuisance.
The knight’s torso was easily cut by the large sword that was slashed horizontally and he got blown away
.
Yes, the knight wasn’t bisected, he was blown away. In addition, there was a strange numbness in the arm that the apostle swung.
That fact made the apostles unconsciously stopped moving. With the attack of the large sword that was enchanted with disintegration ability, then even though they could only use forty percent of their strength it should be easy to bisect a single human into two. Despite so, she was unable to do that.
HAAAAAAAAA-!!
-
From the back of the apostle whose movement stopped because of the mysterious phenomenon, a new knight launched a vertical splitting attack from above along with a loud scream that had not even a speck of hesitation. The apostle didn’t even use her large sword and blocked the attack with her wing, but not only the attack opposed her disintegration ability, it even made unpleasant sound giiiiiiiiii resounding before the knight sword sunk in. The apostle gazed to that in astonishment.
There, a scolding flew from that knight.
Don’t falter! We are a knight. Protecting is exactly our duty! Protect this place!
Captain David…guh, forgive me. Let me assist-
The knight that was previously blown away stood up even while coughing away, a scratch in a straight line was left on his armor. He then slashed at the apostle with fierce momentum.
It was as though that became the signal, the knights――the former holy church’s sacred knights that were led by the Aiko protection squad captain, David, the ‘Goddess’s Knights (self-proclaimed)’ faced the flying apostles one after another.
And then, using their bastard swords that raised high-pitched sound while looking misty, the gauntlets that brought about the effect of ‘Strong Arm’ just by putting them on, and the leg armors that similarly granted the effect of ‘Strong Leg’, they assaulted the apostles while barely enduring the attacks of the apostles. Even if they were damaged by the attack that they couldn’t endure, their armor somehow protected them from great harm.
…Don’t tell me, all of this strength come from artifacts?
One of the apostles murmured.
David and everybody else, the knights, they were all equipped similarly with a bastard sword, gauntlets, and also black armor and simple helmet.
Black armor――this artifact was enchanted with ‘Vajra’ that was continuously active and ‘Impact Conversion’ that activated the moment attack touched the armor. Even the knight that got hit by an apostle’s attack managed to pull through somehow with this.
And then the bastard sword was the so-called ‘High-Speed Vibration Sword’, just the sword itself possessed a considerable sharpness, on top of that it could release high-speed vibration using magic power, causing it to be able to disperse the disintegration ability even if only to a certain degree. And then, the helmet was enchanted with ‘Light Speed’, it was a degraded version but it was attached with the function to expand the user’s perception.
All those equipment were basically a set and they were distributed to all the soldiers. In addition, before the battle began cheatmates were distributed so the specs of all the soldiers were also raised.
The plan was to weaken the apostles while at the same time making every single one of the allied force soldiers into a superhuman. As the result, the knights were able to oppose
the apostles barely.
Even so, that was as far as it went, in the end they needed a group just to attack a single apostle before they could finally match the apostle.
At present even now the apostle that David slashed at was blowing away the other knights and repelled the vibration sword of David.
Kuh――
The apostle swung down her large sword toward David who was clenching his teeth due to his unrecoverable posture.
At that moment,
First one.
Eh?
It was unclear whether that amazed voice was leaked by David or by the head
of the apostle that was rotating in the air…
Like a joke, the head of the apostle flew casually and left behind its body. A beat later, busha―! amidst the blood spray that spurted grandly, that guy was there before anyone noticed.
It was a man with his body wrapped in black clothing that covered everything until his lips, a one lens type sunglass on his eyes, thin and sharp short sword――a kodachi held in reverse grip in his hand. On his head, fluffy rabbit ears were fluttering.
The color of your blood is filthy, just like this dark red world…
The man swung his kodachi sharply to swipe away the blood clotting it while pushing his sunglasses using his middle finger, then his lips suddenly distorted in nihility (it was unseen because of the mask though). However, that man then introduced his name without being unable to hide his atmosphere of
The me right now, is totally sparkling!
This head of apostle, has been definitely received by this dark hunter demon of the wriggling darkness, Karmvantis Elfalight Rowderia Hauria.
Correct, it was Karm. It was only the clan head of rabbit race Karm Hauria.
At the surrounding, the apostles who were held back desperately by the knights were approached stealthily from behind, then their head flew away with a splat by the many people of Hauria clan.
The rabbit ears of the man caressed the kodachi lovingly while he directed a pitying gaze at the collapsing headless apostles.
My bad. But tonight Julia is feeling quite hungry.
A rabbit-eared woman was covering one of her eyes with her hand while whispering.
Don’t you know that you are the bad one? After all, you are making my other self to awaken…
A rabbit-eared girl in the first half of her teens was staring to empty air with a philosophical gaze.
…This is, the will of the world. Then, I can only obey that…
A rabbit-eared youth about the same age was holding his left arm while groaning.
Kuh, raging as you please again-! Calm down, my left arm-!
A beat.
The rabbit-eared people wearing sunglasses and black clothing looked at each other face and then they nodded at each other with really satisfied expression.
And then, the apostles returned to their senses suddenly with a ‘hah’ and the moment they were going to assault the rabbit-eared people, with a superb timing as though the apostles’ breathing was completely read through the rabbit people’s figure and presence suddenly vanished and they slipped between the knights.
A strange air flowed in the battlefield.
U, UoOOOOOOOOOO!!
David slashed at another apostle as though nothing had happened at all. It appeared that he had become a man that was quite able to read the mood. Surely he discerned that he must not get involved with that lot.
The apostles were also rushing toward the choir in order to obliterate them while putting up their guard somewhat. They would keep getting targeted even if they just stiffened in place, so although it wasn’t with their whole force, but a number that was quite many compared to other places was heading toward the choir.
It appeared that at the sky it was already filled to the brim with apostles.
But, at that time,
{Flying is not permitted nano!}
A really cute voice of a little girl resounded, and then at the next moment, the apostles who were above the barrier protecting the choir were staggering with their balance crumbling like a bird whose wings were plucked, without any change the apostles were felled to the ground all over. With great care they were dropping at spot distanced from the barrier as though they were pulled there.
There, a figure of a golem with back armament that looked like parabola antenna deployed could be seen. It appeared the voice was resounding from the telepathy stone speaker version attached on that golem.
{Bel-chan, do your best!}
Listening to the young voice――Myuu’s voice that resounded once more, Bel-chan who was also known as the living golem ‘Belfegoor’ waved his hand languidly while using the area gravity manipulation artifact
Gran Farensen’ that he shouldered on his back which pulled at the flying apostles and dropped them down.
Beside ‘Belfegoor’ that dropped down several dozens of apostles altogether, a further six golems appeared.
And then, with some kind of mechanism, BAANG! a thunderous sound was raised and colorful blast flame rose behind them while the golems took a cool pose. Surely if the golems could yell then they would say this without a doubt.
――Great Sin Squadron Demon Ranger, has arriveeeeed!!
Like that.
The movement of the felled apostles stopped for a moment seeing that uselessly refined posing and the act that let them knew of wills that were unlike that of a golem.
There, a command from the golems’ princess was handed down.
{Everyone, kill them all nano!}
The princess easily declared something terrifying with that lovely voice. It made the listener wanted to see the face of her parents. The gentle voice
My my, ufufu
of one of the parents that was standing at the side of the small commander was leaking out from the speaker.
But, regardless of the resounding soft voice, the starting attack of the Demon Ranger was really severe. Each of the seven rangers was displaying superb teamwork while defeating the apostles one after another.
This is a good time. Let the puppet who can do nothing but looking down at people know what it means to fall. All Gran Farensen, activate!
The moment Liliana’s command resounded, the gravity generation devices placed on all over the battlefield activated all at once. As the result, the apostles who were at the position between the ground and five hundred meters high fell on the ground all at once. That scene was just like a pitiful bug whose wings were plucked. And then, the one waiting for them below were the soldiers of allied force with the preparedness for death. The heroes who shouldered the existential fate of mankind.
Great numbers of apostles were dropped on the ground, however, they didn’t show anything unsightly like fainting after impacting the ground, they used their twin swords to blow away all the soldiers who came at them. Silver feathers that were scattered all over here and there, or possibly the silver flashes surged up and blown away the soldiers.
…Even by dropping us to the ground, even if you harden your body using artifact, but in the first place you are all merely human. There is no way you can win against us. Hang down your head obediently and receive the judgment of god.
One of the soldiers got pierced on the stomach by a large sword and he vomited blood. But, even with a mouth smeared with blood and his ghastly condition, that soldier made a fearless smile on his lips.
And then,
LIMIT BREAAAAAAKKK-
-
Magic power in unthinkable amount welled up from the soldier’s body from who knew where. And then, even with his stomach pierced, using the sword that he didn’t let go even then, he cut off the right hand of the apostle that was holding the large sword which pierced him.
-, why, that ability…now, even so it’s only to this degree after all. Even with that rare ability you possess a single arm is――
But, a blind spot is definitely created yeah?
Even the last attack that was unleashed by betting one’s life using a skill that was the rare between the rare among mankind, stealing a single arm of an apostle was the limit. The apostle who was about to say that was interrupted by a voice that resounded from the direction of her lost right arm.
The apostle who couldn’t swing her right arm immediately tried to drive away the owner of the voice using her silver wing, but faster than that the attack of that person――Hoelscher Empire’s emperor Gahard D Hoelscher bisected the body of the apostle.
The apostle’s body was split into two, but even so she didn’t die instantly with her astonishing life force and directed her gaze at Gahard. And then her gaze turned into astonishment.
That, radiance…
That radiance was――the radiance of ‘Limit Break’.
Gahard grinned fearlessly while grasping tightly a crimson orb the size of a small stone dangling from his neck.
This is a battle where the existence of mankind is put into stake you know. It will be too lukewarm if we cannot break merely one or two limits isn’t that right? Now then, I also just have gotten used with this normal
limit break. The last limit breaker left behind by that monster, how about I show it to the underlings of the shitty god huh!
While saying such thing, in front of the apostle whose eyes opened wide Gahard then,
Limit Break(Supreme Break)–!!
The magic power enveloping Gahard jumped up a magnitude higher. Like that he split the head of the apostle who at that time was trying to fire her last silver bombardment, at the same time,
Informing all the heroes of allied force-!! Break your limit, and fight–!!!
Immediately following, it resounded in the battlefield, that voice.
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
Limit Break-!
The last strengthening plan that Hajime left behind. It was this.
――Humanity’s whole force’s limit break.
Other than the basic equipment that were the artifact armaments, the whole forces were also provided by one other thing. That was this necklace attached with a small crimson orb. This artifact made it possible for common soldiers whose body might break from it without taking a dose of cheatmate to activate ‘Limit Break’.
――Grade style limit break artifact ‘Last Zell’
Using it for the first time brought about Limit Break, and after waiting until the body got used to it so that the body wouldn’t self-destructing from the radical strengthening, the artifact would bring about the derivative skill of Limit Break, ‘Supreme Break’ next. Of course it was a double edged sword that couldn’t hold out for long, but in any case it would be the end of mankind if they didn’t win this battle. If this was to be a battle without next time, then they would use up their soul until the very last drop.
Gahard who faced a new apostle readied his sword while throwing at them words that represented the heart of mankind.
Don’t you dare-, to look down on human-!
The decisive battle between god’s apostles and mankind――the second curtain of it was now raised.
