Surprisingly, even the most destructive magic of the Age of Gods couldn't create a single crack in the beam. Yue then attempted to escape using the Space Gate. However, the magic only distorted space, then immediately reverted, rendering it useless.

"Tsk. Myuu, Remia, stay here."

"dad……"

"Yes, Hajime-san."

Seeing Yue trapped, Hajime ordered Myuu and Remia to remain behind the pillars and used a cross-shaped cannon to create a four-point barrier to protect them. Then, he suddenly rushed towards Yue.

"Hoohoo, don't even think about interfering, oddball."

Seeing Hajime's solemn expression, Yarbu's face twisted with amusement, and he snapped his fingers.

In an instant, dozens more apostles and several monsters appeared, their appearance very similar to those seen in the Great Labyrinth of Orcus. Also arriving was a group of soldiers with empty eyes—they were Huili's Corpse Beast Army.

The way they appeared was the same as the apostles just now, their figures emerged from the distorted space as if seeping through.

The Corpse Beasts moved towards Shizuku and the others. All the monsters then moved towards Kaori and the others. The apostles, who had been focusing their bombardment on Kaori, immobilizing her, joined the other apostles in attacking Hajime.

"Get out of the way, you puppets!"

Red magic erupted with a roar. It was an extraordinary torrent of magic—'Limit Breakthrough's final derivative, 'Doomsday'. Activating this skill in conjunction with 'Impact Conversion' created a magical shockwave as powerful as a spatial explosion, ravaging everything around it.

The four apostles who attacked with double greatswords were blown away at the same time.

Even so, as a true divine weapon, the apostle possesses extraordinary abilities and will certainly not be easily repelled.

In an instant, four more apostles blocked Hajime's path at such high speeds that they left afterimages behind.

Hajime summoned three cross-shaped floaters and Alcorn, firing explosive shrapnel, missiles, and rockets. The destructive power was far greater than before, and even the Apostles would not be unscathed.

However, the apostle's tenacity can only be described as abnormal. When combined with decomposition magic, it is simply a nightmare.

Therefore, even though the space was filled with intense explosions and impacts, Hajime didn't dare to let his guard down. Determined to risk everything, he activated Kongou and Shukuchi, blocking the way with his large shield, and attempted to force his way through.

"This fearless special attack is useless! I told you, we analyzed your battle!"

“Tsk!!”

Two apostles circled behind him. Twin silver-gleaming swords, enchanted with disintegration magic, slashed at Hajime from four directions.

“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

At this moment, the head of Druken's hammer flew like a cannonball, crushing the apostles and knocking them away.

Shia landed behind Hajime, swung the hammer handle with a chain, and with a clanging sound, she retrieved the hammer in its forged form.

"Leave the back to me!"

"As expected of Bug Rabbit, please!"

Having said that, Hajime charged into the blast. As expected, while the apostles' greatswords were damaged, their bodies remained unscathed. They pressed forward like a wall, ramming their bodies against the shields.

"Don't underestimate me!"

"Hmm, you're just..."

Hajime activated his skills, "Magic Blast Wave," "Strong Arm," and "Powerful Kick," unleashing a powerful attack from his prosthetic elbows. Simultaneously, he fired his cross-shaped cannons at the apostles' feet, preventing them from maintaining their balance. Then, he charged forward with his shield.

Even though four apostles attacked simultaneously, they were still sent flying as if hit by a truck.

However, the brute force of numbers was indeed the most troublesome. Having just repelled four apostles, countless more immediately surged forward, blocking the path ahead.

Not only in front, but also above and behind, there are five apostles approaching.

Hajime kept fending off the apostles' attacks, then blasted them away with powerful moves.

He can fight against multiple apostles at the same time by himself.

However, he could only do so much. He was unable to move forward. Although he wanted to rush to Yue's side immediately, the distance of less than 40 meters felt incomparably far away.

The other partners were also in a tough fight.

"Everyone, come closer! Don't leave my side!"

Kaori's roar echoed throughout the room, her tone not being like her usual self at all.

Monsters approached them from all directions.

Kaori had originally thought that since she didn't have to contend with the apostles' decomposition bombardment, she wouldn't need to use her silver wings to form a defensive wall, and could immediately destroy the monsters and then go support Hajime and the others. However, in reality, it wasn't that easy.

The monsters that surrounded them were not only astonishing in number, but also incredibly powerful. Most of these monsters resembled the Chimeras we'd previously fought in the Great Labyrinth of Orcus, but their abilities were vastly superior. Their inherent magic wasn't camouflage, which provided invisibility, but rather abilities like high-speed healing, making them particularly resilient.

Kaori used her two greatswords to slash at the monsters within her reach, but they continued to attack even after losing a limb or two. Silver Feather's attack range was limited, so a few hits wouldn't stop the monsters.

Therefore, Kaori launched a disintegration bombardment, shooting through to the rear in one breath.

Such a powerful attack could kill several of them simultaneously, even if the opponent was an evolved Chimera. The bombardment successfully cleared a bloody path. But in the blink of an eye, a large number of monsters rushed in, blocking the way forward, like splitting the sea.

In addition,

"Ugh, it's hard to shoot like this!"

Kaori and the others were located on the right side of the throne room. The right row of pillars separated them from Hajime and the others.

If they fired the disintegration bombardment recklessly and knocked down too many pillars, the throne room might collapse, and Hajime and the others in the center of the room might be injured.

Powerful monsters attacked like a tidal wave. The angles at which the artillery could fire were very limited...

Of course, Kaori's strength is impossible to lose to the monsters, and she will be able to annihilate them sooner or later.

However, being able to protect others at the same time was another matter. The disparity in numbers was especially significant, creating a deadly crisis.

Kaori couldn't afford to reveal any flaws at any moment. Aiko and the others currently had no magic circle or artifacts, effectively being defenseless. Their fate rested entirely in Kaori's hands.

Kaori understood this, so she couldn't take a bold offensive.

"Kaori! I'll set up the barrier!"

Liliana bit her fingertip, drawing blood. She was probably planning to use her own blood to create a magic circle to shield herself. However, before she could do anything—

"Shirosaki-san!"

"Kaori!"

Aiko and Yuka shouted a warning. Kaori felt goose bumps all over her body and looked up to see a group of gray dragons forming a circle and surrounding her.

"!"

There was no time to fight back. Without even a sound, Kaori quickly turned towards Aiko and the others. Then, she spread her silver wings to their full extent, enveloping her classmates like a cocoon.

The Silver Wings barrier, with its added decomposition ability, successfully blocked the dragon's breath. But...

"Attack, no openings!"

Dragon breath continued to strike with alarming intensity. And not only from above, but also from the horizontal. It seemed the Chimera's encirclement was simply a bid for time, waiting for the gray dragons to close in and continue their attack.

Under such concentrated fire, any counterattack was impossible. Even though the dragon's breath was far less powerful than the apostle's disintegration bombardment, the sheer number of them still immobilized Kaori. Perhaps the enemy intended to use this method to drain Kaori's magic power and subdue her.

Kaori saw her classmates huddled on the ground in fear. Aiko, Liliana, Yuka, and the others were terrified, but it was clear they were still desperately trying to find a way to help Kaori.

I have to protect everyone. We can go home now. Hajime-san has already opened the way home for us! I must protect it so that everyone can go home together!

With a determination stronger than diamond, Kaori continued to maintain Silver Wing's defense while beginning to concentrate and sense the movements outside.

This is done in order to accurately launch the silver feathers without visual confirmation to eliminate threats.

On the other hand, Shizuku and others are also caught in a crisis from which they cannot escape.

"H-Hi! Wake up! Do you know what you're doing!?"

Amidst the sounds of fierce sword clashes, Shizuku's confused and anxious cries were heard.

"It's you who should wake up, Shizuku."

"What do you mean!?"

"Didn't you hear what Mr. Tinreid said? His goal was to save the world. He was such a great man, but Nagumo turned him... How unforgivable!"

Shizuku's cheeks twitched stiffly at this. Kouki's behavior, of only accepting facts that pleased him, was familiar to her.

A possibility flashed through her mind, making her expression extremely bitter, as bitter as drinking coffee with too many ground beans.

“Damn it, Eri! You’re the one behind this, aren’t you!?”

It seemed Ryutaro had considered the same possibility. Just as he'd been deceived by his own illusion in the Ice Cave, Kouki had been deceived by Eri's lies. Ryutaro crossed his gauntlets in defense, while Eri attacked with her greatsword, a sinister grin plastered on her face. That smile was the most obvious evidence.

"That's too much! I only slightly guided his consciousness. The rest is up to Kouki-kun to believe~!"

It seems that she tricked Guanghui into believing only Tinrid's initial lies.

“Damn it, Kouki—! Cheer up for a minute… eh!?”

Ryutaro should have had an overwhelming advantage in arm strength, but Eri easily knocked him away with a spinning kick. He bent his body into a U-shape and slammed into the pillar near where Ling lay, coughing violently.

"Kui! Did you hear everything she just said?!"

"It's useless, it's useless~ I've already completed 'Soul Binding'~"

“Eh? Uh—”

After all, Kouki was currently at her "limit-breaking" state. Shizuku had been distracted by Eri's words, and Kouki certainly wouldn't miss the opportunity to exploit her vulnerability. A solid punch to the heart sent Shizuku tumbling to the ground, unable to breathe. Away from Ryuutarou and Rin, she felt powerless and gritted her teeth.

Seeing Shizuku like this, Eri seemed particularly happy for some reason and laughed out loud.

"I didn't waste my time playing around. I put in a lot of effort to get a better Kouki-san. I'm such a 'good woman'~"

"What do you mean by that?"

"My Soul Binding has evolved. Now, it can not only control the dead, but also directly influence the thoughts of the living! If you ask me how it works, it should be the power to make living beings obey, right?"

Kouki stood with a serious expression. Shizuku and Ryuutarou, kneeling on the ground, glared at Eri fiercely. She, in turn, clung to Kouki, caressing his neck.

"This will allow him to become my slave without a second thought, without him noticing anything amiss! Therefore, not only can I easily induce his consciousness, but I can also make him unconsciously resist any perception that might be detrimental to me! For Guanghui right now, I am the only 'right person'; I am his heroine!"

"So... you've been pestering him ever since we came to the city for just this reason!"

Shizuku gnashed her teeth. She was furious that Eri had so brazenly cast Soul Binding right in front of her, completely oblivious to her.

What was frightening was that Eri's own research had even reached the realm of soul magic, and she had even advanced it to the point where her chanting was undetectable. No, what was truly frightening was her persistence.

Looking at Guanghui's current state, I'm afraid that no matter what you say, he won't listen.

On the contrary, he would believe everything Eri said. And Guanghui would believe it was the result of his own thinking and judgment, and he would believe it without a doubt. As time passed, the falsehood would become the truth for him.

Now, Guanghui must be convinced that Huili, Dinglide and others are the righteous side and are constantly working to save the world. Hajime, who obstructs them, is evil, and the others who trust and follow Hajime are all victims of brainwashing.

This spell was incredibly effective against someone like Kouki. They believed they were right, completely convinced they were infallible. He would have given the spell no resistance, letting it control him.

Shizuku glanced to the side and noticed that Yue, Kaori and the others were also in trouble.

"Don't even think about it! I won't let you help!"

Before they knew it, Shizuku and the others were surrounded by the zombie soldiers.

“No way…”

"Eri! How low are you going to fall!?"

Shizuku was stunned by the sight of these corpse beast soldiers. Ryuutarou raised his eyebrows in anger. However, Kouki paid no attention to their reactions and continued to express his own thoughts.

"Shizuku, Ryuutarou, Suzu. You might have to endure some pain, so bear with it for now. Eri will remove the brainwashing for you afterwards."

"You idiot! You really don't feel anything when you see them!?"

Seeing Kouki raising the holy sword with a look of sorrow on his face, Shizuku's emotions were almost saturated.

It wasn't just that Guanghui was escaping reality and only believing in his own delusions; more importantly, he turned a blind eye to the zombie soldiers around him. This angered Shizuku to the point where words could not describe it.

Because Shizuku recognized the faces of these corpse beast soldiers.

Of course I recognize them. They were once knights and soldiers of the kingdom. After being brutally murdered by Huili, they were transformed into puppet soldiers and continued to be controlled.

Not only had these soldiers met before, but some had even spoken to Shizuku and the others, given them training instructions, and even listened to their heartfelt confidants. And now, their bodies had been spliced ​​with demihuman flesh, their eyes hollow, and they were being manipulated like props.

It was so tragic, so miserable. No words could describe Shizuku's current mood.

The same should be true for Kouki. No, as a hero, Kouki should have a deeper and more extensive relationship with the soldiers than Shizuku, so logically, he should be even angrier.

Even if she was being manipulated by Eri, she should still do so—that's what Shizuku thought.

However, Guanghui still turned a blind eye to them.

In his eyes, there are only his own thoughts.

Shizuku was filled with intense disappointment, but the cruel reality left her no room to sort out her feelings.

The corpse beast soldiers pounced on Shizuku and the others at the same time.

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