Extra in a Romance Fantasy

182 – The Cult Leader (2)

“…….”

Seeing the transformed appearance of the cult leader,

Ethan felt a cold tension running down his spine for the first time in a long while.

His instincts were screaming.

That ‘thing’ in front of him was dangerous.

“I never expected to reveal this form here.”

In a voice as calm as ever, the cult leader spoke, looking entirely different from before.

“Indeed, it seems that simply having superior strength or speed isn’t enough to win. The concept of ‘Martial Arts’ is profound.”

Even though he had just been split in two moments ago, and the one who had done that to him was right in front of him, the cult leader’s face and voice were utterly serene.

As if he didn’t care at all about what had just happened.

…No, perhaps that expression didn’t suit the current cult leader.

It was true that he appeared to be unconcerned. However, there was a question mark over whether it was appropriate to call the current cult leader a ‘human.’

Skin, eyes, horns.

All of it was too alien and bizarre to be called human.

On top of that, a thick aura continuously emanated from him.

Just seeing it, just feeling it sent chills down one’s spine; it was unsettling and eerie.

That appearance and that aura were better described as…

‘Monstrous.’

Rachel, watching the scene unfold, thought it resembled the monsters that filled the surroundings.

It seemed that this was not merely her own impression,

“It really does look like a monster… no, a monstrous being,”

Ethan said, frowning.

“Did you really implant the genes of a monster into your body?”

Ethan had spent a considerable amount of time traveling, never settling in one place for long.

No matter where he went on the continent, or which country he visited, he had refused to serve under anyone, even after earning a place among the Ten Blades, a position of immense power. Instead, he wandered from one corner of the continent to another.

In the process, he experienced many things and met many people.

And Ethan had seen creatures that gave off a similar aura to the figure before him, the cult leader, a few times in the past.

The atmosphere exuded by the artificially created fusion of monsters he had encountered before bore a resemblance to the aura radiating from the cult leader now.

However, it was the first time Ethan had seen such a highly perfected result.

Most of the monster experiments or fusions he had witnessed were barely able to maintain any form, and those that did were devoid of reason.

Yet, the cult leader before him not only had a complete physical form but was also speaking coherently.

“An old man once said that it’s impossible to fuse monsters and humans.”

Ethan was not well-versed in magic.

He had no magical abilities to speak of, and his knowledge of magic was far from extensive.

However, that didn’t mean he was completely ignorant.

Having traveled for quite some time, Ethan had unknowingly come to know a fair number of people, including a few wizards.

One of those wizards had once told him that fusing monsters and humans was impossible.

At the time, he hadn’t paid much attention to it, but he hadn’t doubted the statement either.

The one who had told him that was a grand wizard unmatched in the field of life magic.

Yet, now, a being that contradicted that statement stood right before him.

“True. That statement isn’t wrong. Generally speaking, it is impossible to fuse monsters and humans.”

At Ethan’s words, the cult leader smiled and nodded in agreement.

However, the cult leader added another sentence.

“By human power, that is.”

Ethan furrowed his brow at the cult leader’s words.

It was impossible by human power.

That meant it was possible by the power of something that was not human.

It was a statement that could not be easily dismissed.

Ethan was on the verge of voicing his question about it.

“It would be nice to kindly explain that as a gift for the journey ahead… but unfortunately, there isn’t enough time for that.”

The cult leader’s gaze shifted to Ethan’s back, landing on Wade before moving away.

“It’s time to wrap this up.”

The cult leader took a step forward.

“……!”

In that moment, Ethan felt an intense warning from his instincts and twisted his body.

And then.

Bang!

The cult leader’s fist sliced through the very spot where he had just been standing.

“Hooh.”

A short, admiring voice from the cult leader echoed in the air.

However, upon hearing that admiration, Ethan had no time to feel any emotions.

It was because the cult leader was launching a series of punches.

The speed was beyond what Ethan’s eyes could track.

Yet, despite that, Ethan moved his body.

Completely surrendering to his instincts and senses.

His instincts and senses had reached a superhuman level, allowing him to evade even invisible attacks.

But.

“Impressive, indeed. However…”

Slow.

With the cult leader’s brief assessment.

His fist accelerated.

At a speed that far surpassed Ethan’s expectations and instincts.

“……!”

Feeling that, Ethan twisted his body with all his might, but the punch was far too fast for him to react in time.

In the end.

Boom!

The sound that erupted when the fist collided with his body was unimaginable, and Ethan was sent flying backward.

Soaring through the air at a speed reminiscent of a cannonball, Ethan collided with a horde of monsters.

Kiiiiiing…!

The force was so strong that the monsters that collided with Ethan screamed and burst apart.

How many monsters were swept away in that chaos?

Ethan, who had flown back for quite a while, ultimately vanished, buried among the horde of monsters.

“……!!”

Seeing that sight, the group held their breath.

The Ten Blades.

Ethan, who seemed utterly invincible, had been reduced to such a state in a single blow.

It was a scene that left no room for doubt or disbelief.

“Did I use too much power? At this rate, there wouldn’t be a trace left.”

The cult leader shook his head weakly as he gazed in the direction Ethan had flown.

“Maybe it’s been a while since I’ve been in this form, but I just can’t seem to control my strength.”

He then raised his fist in front of him, as if examining it, flexing and relaxing it.

After a moment of this.

“…Well, it can’t be helped. It’s a bit different from what I expected, but I was planning to kill him anyway.”

Lowering his hand, the cult leader turned his gaze.

To the group, who were watching him with a mix of various emotions, his demeanor utterly calm.

“Now, it’s your turn.”

And with that, the cult leader calmly pronounced their death.

““…….””

Receiving that gaze, the group swallowed hard.

It was impossible not to know.

The fact that there was no chance for them against that monster.

Even Ethan could easily kill them.

Yet, that monster had dealt with Ethan far too effortlessly.

If they were to engage in battle with such a creature, they didn’t need to see the future to know the outcome.

“You don’t need to worry too much. I’ll end it before you even have time to feel pain.”

Seeing their reactions, the cult leader smiled gently.

Then, slowly, with a relaxed gesture, he took a step toward them.

Death drew one step closer.

In that moment, the group felt a cold terror creeping up from their toes.

Swish!

The wind blew.

No, something far too sharp to be merely called a wind surged toward the cult leader.

At a speed that was truly like the wind, one that anyone would struggle to react to.

However.

Whoosh—

That wind scattered uselessly at the leader’s light gesture.

“Such a pointless endeavor.”

The leader’s gaze, which had so easily dispersed the wind, shifted.

“You must know that this won’t work, Beluid Demens.”

Standing in the direction of the leader’s gaze was none other than Beluid.

Beluid stood there, looking at the leader with deeply sunken eyes.

“You know it. There’s no chance of victory.”

It sounded almost mocking at first, but it was the truth.

Beluid had already suffered a brutal defeat at the hands of the leader once, losing an arm in the process.

Yet the current leader was far stronger than the one from that time.

There was no way Beluid could have a chance.

But.

Whoosh—

Beluid began to prepare the magic to strike at the leader once more, as if unaware of such facts.

“…So you have no intention of dying quietly. Well, it doesn’t matter which way it goes. If that’s your wish, I suppose I’ll kill you first.”

The leader, who had lightly nodded, was about to take a step toward Beluid.

In the midst of that motion, suddenly, his body came to a halt.

“…Hmm. This is unexpected.”

In a calm voice, the leader began to utter words that were hard to decipher.

“I thought for sure you would have perished without maintaining your form.”

As if speaking to someone, the leader’s head finally moved.

“To think you would still be alive after taking that hit… You continue to surpass my expectations.”

His gaze turned toward the back, where a horde of monsters was gathered.

In the direction of that gaze, a man was pushing through the throng of monsters, stepping forward.

The identity of that man was none other than Ethan.

“Lord Tugi…!!”

Seeing Ethan’s condition, Rachel called out his name in a voice close to a scream.

It was impossible not to let such a voice escape, given the severity of Ethan’s state.

His entire body was drenched in blood.

And even at this moment, blood was gushing from every part of him.

The areas that appeared to have been struck by the cult leader’s fist were grotesquely deformed, and his arms and legs were swollen in a bizarre manner, as if they were broken.

It was a horrific state where standing on two legs, or even being alive, seemed like a miracle.

Yet, despite such injuries, Ethan was undeniably alive.

He stood proudly on his two legs, refusing to let go of his sword.

“Persistent, aren’t you? So persistent that I almost want to pay my respects.”

Seeing this, the cult leader shook his head as if in disbelief.

“I would like to commend that persistence and take my time with you this time… but unfortunately, that won’t be possible.”

The cult leader’s gaze shifted.

To the space behind where he had initially stood, a place that was still endlessly rippling.

“It seems that the great undertaking is about to reach its conclusion. I can’t leave you here for that moment… so it’s time to truly bring this to an end.”

With those words, the cult leader suddenly raised one hand.

And as he made that gesture—

Boom—

The air around them suddenly grew heavy.

“That is…!”

Someone let out a cry that bordered on a scream.

Their gazes converged on one point.

Towards the void that the cult leader’s finger was pointing at.

There, a sphere was forming.

A sphere created from the ominous energy emanating from the cult leader.

“……”

The expression of Beluid grew infinitely grave upon seeing the sphere.

He felt it.

How immense the power contained within that sphere was.

Beluid instinctively realized.

If that energy were to be unleashed, every being existing in this crater would vanish without a trace in an instant.

Knowing that, Beluid’s hand moved urgently.

The last remaining hand reached out toward the High Priest.

And then.

Whoosh!

The sharp blade of the wind surged once more toward the High Priest.

But.

“It’s useless.”

With a light flick of his remaining hand, the High Priest scattered the wind again.

It was a result so utterly futile, yet Beluid did not give up and immediately prepared the next spell.

He understood well that he could not harm the High Priest with his magic.

Thus, what he aimed for was not the High Priest himself.

What he aimed for was to disperse that concentrated energy.

However.

As the High Priest reached out toward Beluid, he had no choice but to cancel the magic he was hastily preparing.

The ferocious energy surged violently toward him.

“……!!”

Beluid hurriedly prepared a defensive spell.

Boom!

Thanks to his all-out effort in creating a barrier, he managed to block the High Priest’s attack, but Beluid’s expression did not brighten.

Rather, it only grew darker.

The energy emitted by the High Priest still pounded against his barrier.

Though he had managed to fend it off for now, the barrier surrounding Beluid felt precariously close to shattering.

If his concentration wavered even slightly, the barrier would surely break mercilessly.

As a result, Beluid could no longer interfere with the High Priest.

Despair cast a shadow over Beluid’s usually calm eyes.

It was the realization that there was no hope.

The only possibility lay with Ethan, but Ethan was at his limit.

His condition was so dire that it was a feat to even say he was still alive, making it impossible to hold any expectations.

Thus, Beluid sensed the end approaching.

“It’s over.”

The cult leader punctuated the moment.

And it was the instant when the sphere created in the air swelled up to erase everything.

Swish—

A soft sound traversed the noisy crater.

“…Huh?”

The cult leader uttered in a dazed voice.

It wasn’t just the voice.

With eyes wide open, as if witnessing an impossible sight, the cult leader stared at the air, at the sphere he had created.

The sphere he had conjured, the one meant to end everything, was inexplicably splitting in half and fading away.

How could such a thing happen?

Beluid knew the answer.

“…It’s not too late.”

A faint smile blossomed on his face, which had just moments ago been shadowed by despair, as he gazed somewhere.

The eyes of everyone present followed his gaze.

And then, they saw it.

Wade, finally awake, holding a shining sword.