The Second Coming of Gluttony

Exploding Patience’s mind was in complete chaos. She was already hanging by a thin line, but a flurry of attacks had suddenly come flying at her.

The worst-possible situation was coming to light.

“Hnng, a banshee. So you’re a ghost in essence. Spellcraft, the combination of magic and witchcraft, should be the best way to deal with someone like you.”

Roselle continued.

“And all you know how to do is scream…. Killing you should be easier than killing that prostitute. Strange. We have Ea who can wield air, so why haven’t we done something about her yet?”

With Roselle, who played a big role in killing Vulgar Chastity joining the battle, things were beginning to look grim for Exploding Patience.

Chak!

Exploding Patience turned her head at a sudden explosive sound. Her left cheek burned. Did something break her invincibility from physical attacks?

In the direction that Exploding Patience turned to…

[Hehe.]

…She saw a spirit running away after striking her cheek.

[Sorry, sorry! You reminded me of the home-wrecking bitch who stole the guy I confessed to when I was six years old!]

Flone turned around and giggled.

Sparks of fury flared up from Exploding Patience’s eyes. However, she had no way of chasing after her or even fighting back.

“So, I can attack her with this, huh!?”

Wu Lei kicked off the ground and soared into the sky.

Exploding Patience did not mind him. Although she was not skilled in close-ranged combat, she was a spirit without a physical body. Even if the enemy were strong enough to split the ocean and crush the mountains, he would not be able to do anything against her.

However, when she saw the greatsword striking down toward her head, she fell backward in fright.

Swoosh!

The blade narrowly brushed past her translucent face.

Soon, from the forehead to chin, a thin line was drawn on Exploding Patience’s shocked face. Her elegant noblewoman’s appearance distorted hideously, and black liquid dripped down from the slight crack.

[How…?]

Exploding Patience blinked while muttering aghast. Next, as Wu Lei clicked his tongue in disappointment, her gaze fell on the weapon in his hand.

Geometric runes were spiraling around the greatsword. They circled around the blade before being absorbed into it and making it shine brightly.

[That’s…!]

Exploding Patience’s expression contorted.

[Impossible! That’s the Written Prayer of the Third Sacrificial Rite!]

Written Prayer of the Third Sacrificial Rite. Traditionally, it referred to the written prayer read on the third ceremony after a funeral. It was a form of blessing to send off the soul of the deceased peacefully.

However, Roselle had modified the prayer using spellcraft and forced it to carry the power of compulsion. It was formulated to be deadly to Exploding Patience, who was a deceased.

[How can a witchcraft spell that went missing hundreds of years ago appear now…?]

The answer was close by.

When Exploding Patience looked around in shock, she saw Roselle moving her lips without rest.

Wu Lei was not the only one affected. The words coming out of Roselle’s mouth spread out in all directions and were powering up the messengers of death that were coming for Exploding Patience.

Wu Lei swung his greatsword again and pounced toward Exploding Patience. She quickly detonated her divinity and drew back.

A terrifying power of curse instantly gathered around her hands, but the five Spirit Kings quickly surrounded her and released their energies.

[Keuk!]

Feeling a sense of urgency, Exploding Patience scattered the curse energy. The five elements turned black in an instant. She then successfully escaped the encirclement by flying up, but what was awaiting her there was a squadron of battle maidens rushing in from all sides.

[Pesky insects!]

Exploding Patience screamed in a desperate struggle.

[Don’t get cheeky!]

She had released her divinity and felt so full of strength. Yet, why was it making her so impatient?

[I… I was bestowed the divinity of Patience!]

Exploding Patience swung her arms wildly. Once unleashed, divinity was an energy that was truly beyond the realm of mortals. Even a simple, rudimentary brandishing of its energy caused the Valkyries to explode.

[I…!]

Then, Exploding Patience’s body expanded like a fattened pig.

[I am on a different level of existence than low-class races like you!!]

And next, she instantly turned thinner, and a terrifying shockwave…

[?]

…did not burst out.

She had definitely screamed, but no sound could be heard. It almost felt like the sound was sucked away before it could travel out. All that was left was the divinity that spread out randomly, having nowhere to go.

—How can you be so predictable?

It was then.

—Sound is a wave.

A snickering voice rang out in her head.

—Waves transfer energy from one location to another. However, a medium is required for that process.

Exploding Patience tilted her head up reflexively. Roselle was staring down at her with a look of pity while still chanting a spell.

—Sound works by traveling through a material medium, which is often the air.

Roselle grinned.

—So, what would happen if that medium disappeared?

Now that she mentioned it, Exploding Patience could not feel the flow of air in her surroundings. The area had suddenly turned into a vacuum.

[Ah.]

Seeing the Spirit King of Air, Ea, in the distance, Exploding Patience became dazed. After a brief moment, her pupils dilated to a noticeable degree, and she appeared as if the world came crumbling down.

—Why? Did you think chanting spells was all we magic users knew how to do?

A cold sneer resounded in her head.

—Every time I see someone like you, I can’t help but think of the anti-evil faction, which disappeared after losing to the black magic faction.

—What is the use of having strength?

After the Tigol Fortress War, Roselle gave the following evaluation of the Army Commanders: I’ll acknowledge three or four of them, but the rest are nothing impressive.

—The anti-evil energy was a power outside of their league anyway, so I can understand not being able to use it to its fullest extent. But not knowing its real value, not researching it, and not even utilizing it…

Roselle once mentioned that the Empire shouldn’t have fallen so easily no matter how much they declined from casting aside everything besides the discipline of magic. She was certain that there was another reason for their downfall.

—A pearl necklace on a pig’s neck. That’s a fitting expression, don’t you think?

Exploding Patience’s face reddened at Roselle’s harsh criticism. However, she had nothing to say in response. Her primary method of attack was sealed. All she could do now was rely on curses or the energy of divinity.

—Also, I understand that your mouth is rotten and decayed, but please talk properly.

—A mere pest that crawled out from the Spiritual Dimension and obtained strength by chance dares to question a living being’s level of existence?

Seeing Roselle talk endlessly while moving her fingers, Exploding Patience grew even warier.

[Euu, euu….]

The situation had changed. Overwhelming the enemy with pure strength was no longer an option, and her allies were in no position to help. All she could see were Spirits that rushed in with no regard for their lives.

In the end, she had no choice but to back off again.

She wanted to do something but couldn’t think of anything. When she scattered curses, countless Spirits threw themselves and blocked the attack. When she brandished her divinity, the Spirit Lords of Light and Darkness minimized it, and if they weren’t enough, the Spirit Kings came to support them.

Meanwhile, the apostles of the Seven Sins and their Servants used small openings that were created to attack.

This process continued infinitely.

Exploding Patience clattered her teeth. She felt her divine energy plummet rapidly.

‘I won’t last long at this rate…!’

It was then. As Exploding Patience was expending her divinity blindly, she suddenly felt something long and thin touch her back.

Then, just as she felt a thread snapping off…

Whish!

A wide net of spiderwebs suddenly spread out around her.

Silver threads imbued with Roselle’s spellcraft coiled around Exploding Patience’s body.

[Heeeeu! Keeeeeut!]

Strange groans came out of Exploding Patience’s mouth. Though it was just for a split second, she almost lost consciousness. It felt like her soul was forcefully ascending.

Tzzzzzzzz!

The threads binding Exploding Patience liquified like mercury and invaded her body. Then, her already translucent body became even fainter.

What was driving her even madder was that other attacks weren’t stopping in the meanwhile.

[I already hit your left cheek, so give me your right cheek!]

The spirit that slapped her cheek before suddenly rushed in.

[K-Keeu! You bitttch!]

Exploding Patience flailed her arm, but…

Crack!

What came back was the feeling of her soul being ripped apart.

She wasn’t mistaken. Her right hand had really been ripped out.

[Yummy!]

Flone chewed on the right hand and then ran away again. Exploding Patience watched indignantly but decided that undoing the threads was her number one priority.

Unfortunately, however, an opening was already made.

“I knew it.”

The words coming out of Roselle’s mouth stopped for the first time.

“Sorry for making you wait so long.”

At the same time, her rapidly moving fingers also came to a pause.

“Why don’t we get started, Lord Diffidem, Lord Ophinu Odor?”

Roselle spoke clearly before pointing her hands down.

Then, just as the spiderwebs binding Exploding Patience exploded, a huge magic circle was created behind her.

Roselle’s eyes flashed.

“Open! Door of the Spiritual Realm!”

The magic circle began to spin. Next, it split open while radiating a bluish light. Revealed within it was endless darkness.

The blackhole-like pit began to suck in Exploding Patience.

[Hiiiiik!?]

Exploding Patience was frightened out of her mind. Just what was this witch’s origin to use a secret art that only the Dragon race knew about?

She was holding on for now, but the rapidly falling divinity was now vanishing by the millisecond.

Just as she tried to squirm her way out, light and darkness suddenly blanketed her vision. The Spirit Lords of Light and Darkness had taken the opportunity to capture her.

Not only did they hold onto her body tightly, but they also twisted her body like a rag and shoved her into the door.

[KIIIIIAAAAAAA!]

The pain Exploding Patience felt was like being trapped inside a blender. As she screamed from the excruciating pain, her surroundings entered the corner of her eyes.

Starting with a group of Spirits gushing in like a wave, members of the allied force were preparing to attack her from all sides.

After seeing Valkyries pulling their hands back to throw their spears, Exploding Patience grew impatient. Foreseeing her death, a look of hesitation flit past her face.

I’m going to die. I will perish here, unable to do anything just like Vulgar Chastity and Unsightly Humility.

I… I cannot let that happen!

Steeling her mind in a split second, Exploding Patience gathered up the remainder of her energy.

Not even a shred of hesitation was in her head. Perhaps… she was prepared for this the moment the right-wing and vanguard fell, and the allied force came for her next.

Then, when there were only a few centimeters between her and the magic circle….

[I’m sorry, my queen….]

Exploding Patience shut her eyes.

Roselle’s eyes narrowed simultaneously as Exploding Patience spread out her arms and legs.

FLASH!

A cluster of light suddenly burst out from Exploding Patience. Then, she began to grow exponentially.

In that instant, Roselle shot her eyes open and hurriedly spread out her arms. With her left hand, she moved Flone and as many of the main forces as she could, and she stretched out her right hand toward the magic circle.

Then, the magic circle changed form in an instant, creating a wide-ranged, amber-colored barrier.

“Block it! No, dodge it!”

And with Roselle’s shout, Diffidem and Ophinu Odor spread out their hands. They held Exploding Patience in place as if to prevent her energy from busting out.

The Spirit King of Earth, Tera, also raised a high earthen wall, and Sylphid also joined hands with Ea to create a flawless barrier.

Layers of powerful barriers appeared in the blink of an eye. They seemed to be effective, but only for a brief moment.

The white light expanded and shrunk repeatedly before breaking out of the barriers with a loud boom. Shrouding the hands of the Spirit Lords of Light and Darkness, it tore down the earthen wall and ripped apart the wind barrier.

This grand light of destruction then dyed the entire world white.

Looking at the light that came right in front of her, Cinzia made an exhausted expression. She was able to teleport out with a few people around her thanks to the barriers buying some time.

She’d thought she traveled far based on what happened with Abhorrent Charity, but it was almost not enough.

How much time went by?

As the blinding light subsided, Cinzia pressed her forehead at the horrific scene that unfolded.

The Spirit Lords of Light and Darkness were nowhere to be seen. It was the same with Sylphid, Ea, and Tera.

Not only them, but the vast majority of Spirits had also perished, and the Cave Fairies and Sky Fairies that were marching forward suffered heavy casualties.

As for Roselle… Cinzia couldn’t help but click her tongue.

Half of her body was completely blown off, and the word horrendous could not begin to describe her state. A witch of her caliber should have had the chance to escape. She must have failed to escape the range of the explosion because she tried to minimize its force as much as possible.

Of course, the concept of death was not something that applied to Roselle.

Although she materialized a physical body, her true self was a will. It was just that she now lost her ability to fight.

[…This was a miscalculation on my part.]

Roselle smiled bitterly with only half of her face.

[We must have rushed it too much. I did not think she would come to a decision so quickly…. It was to lessen the World Tree’s burden, but it turns out that it was a mistake.]

We should have waited until the World Tree reached its final stage of evolution… Roselle sighed and took off her conical hat.

[…I guess it can’t be helped. I will go back now.]

[Please take care of my disciples.]

With that, Roselle’s body turned into a black gas. Then, it disappeared in the direction of the capital.

Just like how Spirits were reverse-summoned back to the Spirit Realm when they died, she returned to her owner, Seol Jihu.

“…Let’s go.”

Agnes picked up the divinity of Patience dropped by Roselle and spoke.

“Though the result could have been better, the fact that we won does not change. It won’t be long. Also….”

Agnes paused momentarily and glanced over in the distance.

Seol Jihu was with the Parasite Queen.

—Everyone shout! Ang ang!

…She had no clue what he was blabbering on about now, but he was carrying out an intense battle that was incomparable with any of the other battles.

And he was doing it by himself, without anyone’s help.

“…We don’t know how much longer he can last.”

Cinzia nodded.

Now, there was only one… no, two that remained.

Soon, Cinzia used Teleport again to the place where Valhalla’s members were having a fierce struggle.