Loen Kingdom, southern most Awwa County, on the banks of the Tussock River.
Klein, who had returned from Sefirah Castle, put on "Creeping Hunger" and gazed upstream at the Tussock River, where Tingen City was, the place where everything began.
Panatiya, who was behind him, had long since recovered from her mummified state; the remaining "Sea God Scepter" pollution on this demigod-level marionette had been completely eliminated during the previous prayer ritual.
The flickering black flames emitted a biting chill, rapidly condensing into a mirror surface. Klein withdrew his gaze and sketched a complex symbol on the mirror, a fusion of "peeking" and "concealment."
This place was extremely close to the Backlund metropolitan area; one could even vaguely see the outline of that city of hope from afar. With a magic mirror condensed by a demigod Demoness, combined with the aura of Sefirah Castle, Arrodes could be summoned.
Even faster than expected, almost the moment the symbol was completely sketched, the black flame-covered mirror surface rippled outwards in circles, as if a huge stone had been thrown into a lake.
Immediately following, rows of salute cannons appeared within, and colorful fireworks exploded, brilliant and beautiful, their embers forming word after word in the mirror:
"Welcome back, my great Master!
"Your loyal servant Arrodes witnesses you reclaiming a portion of your authority and trembles at your gradually recovering aura. You shall ultimately return to that supreme position, making the entire world peaceful under your gaze!"
At this moment, although "Magic Mirror" Arrodes did not make a sound, Klein inexplicably felt as if it was shouting at the top of its lungs.
Looking at the colorful text, Klein's mouth twitched. For him, who already understood part of the truth, these congratulations now seemed more like a curse.
Without wasting time on boring question-and-answer games, even though he was anxious, Klein maintained the demeanor of a hidden existence and spoke calmly:
"Tell me, Dunn Smith's Spirit World coordinates, and all information on the demigods who participated in the Battle of Desi Bay!"
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Desi Bay, Esiksen Island.
The continuous roar of artillery fire was shattered by the howling hurricane. Simon Hughes, the senior Exorcist of the Punishers and "Executioner," who arrived faster than the reinforcing Desi Fleet, stood like an insurmountable barrier in the center of the battlefield.
Streaks of silver-white lightning snakes shot out from the rolling black clouds, spreading outwards with an intense, almost tangible, aura of tyrannical destruction.
Although both were Sea Kings, unlike Jahn Kottman, who guarded the Rorsted Archipelago, Simon Hughes was more like an enforcer of the Church's will, an executioner of heretics who blasphemed the authority of the storm.
As the primary target of the lightning storm, the commander of the joint fleet, "Iron-Blooded Knight" Egor Einhorn, who had once destroyed Pritz Harbor and bombed Backlund, fell from the sky in a sorry state.
If not for the entire fleet sharing the damage for him, enduring such a furious blow in the Sea King's home territory would have severely injured even his physique.
"Decay is also a kind of rebirth; let me cast your coffin and bring you back to the embrace of the Earth Mother...."
Before Simon Hughes could make another move, a devout, gentle voice, like a Mother's whisper, echoed throughout the entire sea area.
Under the call of the whisper, the rotting, scorched parts of the corpses scattered on Esiksen Island fell off one by one, and new flesh grew as if it had its own spirituality, with skin gradually covering this horrifying scene inch by inch.
A strange yet indescribable life force, like a surging tide, forcefully tore open a gap in the Sea King's domain.
A tall woman, draped in the robes of an Archbishop of the Church of the Earth Mother, with emerald green hair loosely flowing, appeared on Esiksen Island, confronting Simon Hughes on the sea surface.
Behind her, in a tide of green luminescence, were swaying, reanimated corpses with vacant and indifferent eyes.
This was not the kind of "resurrection" where a Spirit Guide summoned Zombies and skeletons, but a "new life" with a certain will and vitality, created based on life alchemy and the authority of a Pallbearer.
In this unique domain, Death, the end, was not eternal slumber, but the embrace of the Mother, a new beginning!
These "newborn" creations were like countless support points, outlining intricate and obscure array patterns on the blood-soaked island, resembling an alchemical ritual sacrificing to the Earth.
Once the ritual was complete, Esiksen Island would forever be devoid of life; all blessings of life would return to the embrace of the Earth, and spirits would transform into evil spirits, becoming nourishment for the ritual.
Instantly realizing the Pallbearer's intention, Simon Hughes decisively abandoned Egor Einhorn and unleashed his full power without any further reservations.
Watching the terrifying aftershocks of the battle, Egor Einhorn, who had retreated to the edge of the battlefield, had a fervent glint in his eyes, his desire to advance to War Bishop growing even stronger.
Suppressing the restless emotions in his heart, Egor Einhorn gathered the remaining joint fleet and decisively shifted his target, intending to cooperate with the Feynapotter Royal Family's Imperative Mage to first deal with the Undying supported by the Church of the Evernight Goddess.
The Church of the God of Combat's attack on Loen territory was originally intended to destabilize the Church of the Evernight Goddess's faith, thereby affecting the Evernight Goddess's anchor and hindering or even interrupting the Evernight Goddess's process of accommodating Death's Uniqueness.
Although Egor Einhorn was unaware of these secrets, which only high-ranking Church officials were privy to, the fall of a Nighthawks senior Exorcist would be enough to further provoke war panic. Perhaps even before the war ended, he would have hope of advancing to War Bishop.
Having successfully suppressed the Imperative due to the high Beyonder characteristic of the Death Ring, Dunn, who had just gained a slight advantage, immediately felt an Iron-Blooded aura lock onto him.
Without the slightest hesitation, the bronze double-door at his glabella burst open, and various Undying creatures, found only in the depths of the Underworld, roared as they surged out, colliding with the thrown flaming spear.
Amidst the sharp explosion that could pierce spirits, Egor Einhorn, who had been poised to strike, suddenly changed his expression, feeling his connection with the surrounding fleet suddenly weaken, as if it were isolated by some power.
The Hunter's dangerous intuition had given no warning whatsoever. While horrified, he suddenly threw a punch forward.
The previously empty void instantly cracked with fine black fissures. Under the Iron-Blooded Knight's frantic attack, the surrounding scenery immediately shattered completely into flying mirror shards.
Crimson flames rose, re-illuminating this mirror world and allowing him to pinpoint the source of the attack.
Panatiya! Egor's eyes narrowed, instantly recognizing this Demoness, and at the same time, he noticed that her state was extremely abnormal.
She had actually become a marionette! The Church of the Evernight Goddess also had a Bizzaro Sorcerer hidden! Instantly making a judgment in his heart, Egor's face suddenly darkened.