Extra in a Romance Fantasy

183 – Cult Leader (3)

“Wade…!!”

“Mr. Wade…!!”

Rachel and Aira shouted in unison, as if they had synchronized their voices.

“…You did it.”

Alexis, whose face had only shown darkness until just now, finally wore a faint smile.

The reactions of the others were not much different.

Like those who had finally seen light from the depths of despair, hope illuminated their faces.

Receiving those gazes.

Wade slowly raised his sword and then swung it.

And then.

Slash—

The horde of monsters that had filled the surroundings was instantly cleaved in two.

““……!!””

Everyone who witnessed the scene gasped in shock, their mouths agape.

Though not all the monsters had vanished, it seemed that hundreds of them had been cleaved in two by that single strike.

That divine presence was undoubtedly beyond the realm of humanity.

Yet, there was one exception.

Amidst the astonishing spectacle, there was one person who did not cast even a glance.

It was the leader.

The leader, without even directing a gaze towards that direction, stared blankly at the dissipating essence.

How long had it been?

The leader soon lowered their head and shifted their gaze.

To the cause of it all, to Wade.

“…Wade, Hebron.”

The leader uttered Wade’s name as if spitting it out.

Though their eyes were devoid of whites, filled only with a crimson hue, emotions were clearly rippling within those strange orbs.

However, the very person in question, Wade, paid no mind to that gaze.

Like someone who had completed their task, Wade’s eyes hurriedly turned.

Towards the woman suspended in the air, Mary.

At that moment, as if bound in place, her face, which had been eerily still as if in slumber, began to show the first signs of movement.

Her eyelids fluttered, and then slowly began to open.

“…….”

Sky-blue irises, reminiscent of a cloudless sky, revealed themselves to the world.

Those eyes were vacant, like someone just awakened from sleep.

In that dazed state, Mary slowly began to survey her surroundings.

A massive crater.

Monsters filling it to the brim.

And familiar faces looking up at her from the ground.

With each one she passed, Mary’s eyes gradually became clearer.

Finally, when her gaze swept over the face of a man, it came to a halt.

And then.

“…Wade, is that…?”

A feeble voice slipped through her lips.

“Mary.”

The man, Wade, called her name.

At the calm and gentle sound of his voice, Mary’s gaze became distinctly clearer.

“…Wade.”

It was definitely stronger than before.

Yet, a somewhat cautious voice slipped from her lips once more.

“Is it really… you, Wade?”

As if she couldn’t believe it.

Mary was filled with doubt.

Wondering if the scene before her was not a dream.

Her eyes were trembling.

Amidst a whirlwind of indescribable emotions, she was focused solely on Wade.

And then.

“Who else would it be?”

Wade looked directly into Mary’s eyes and smiled softly.

“……!”

Seeing that smile, Mary realized.

That this situation was not a dream.

That Wade was truly alive.

Alive and back by her side.

“…Wade. Wade…!”

Mary called out Wade’s name repeatedly.

The name she had longed for, she shouted with all her might.

And Wade looked at her with gentle eyes.

Thus, the two finally reunited in truth.

However.

“Impressive.”

A voice that intruded between them instantly shattered the fragile atmosphere of their reunion.

“Not only have you returned from the devoured world, but you’ve also managed to rescue Mary Blunoir safely. This is… truly unexpected. I thought for sure you would fail this time.”

In a calm voice, the leader continued speaking.

“Impressive. Truly impressive, Wade Hebron.”

In those red eyes, devoid of pupils, it was difficult to read emotions, yet everyone present knew that the feelings contained within were far from friendly.

“You’ve gone so far as to frame a useful puppet, the prince of the empire, and even set the assassin on him to kill him, yet you still managed to survive. You thwarted the Church’s efforts to resurrect Armianon, and now, at the very moment when the completion of your grand undertaking is within reach, you dare to step in front of me… How tenacious. Truly, you are insufferably tenacious.”

The leader’s eyes flickered.

“I can almost see that detestable face.”

As if recalling something, the leader’s gaze, which had briefly turned to the void, returned to Wade.

“At this point, I have no choice but to acknowledge it. You are my, and the Church’s, arch-nemesis. And you’ve pushed me to the very end.”

However.

“Isn’t it still too early to feel at ease?”

The moment those words fell.

Whoosh!

The wind blew.

A wind so intense it was hard to even stand properly.

The source of that storm-like wind was none other than Mary.

An ominous energy was erupting from Mary’s body, and the very air around her was swaying from the aftermath.

“W-Wade…!”

“Mary…!”

Mary, realizing her own anomaly, called out to Wade with a look of great alarm.

Wade, too, called out Mary’s name with trembling eyes.

They were not the only ones in a panic.

“Mary-san…!”

“Brunoa…!”

Everyone was noticing Mary’s anomaly and was thrown into confusion.

In their ears, as they floundered, unable to grasp what was happening.

“…Mary-san’s power is going out of control.”

A heavy voice from Beluid echoed.

Faster than anyone, Wade turned his head toward Beluid.

Beluid met Wade’s gaze and continued speaking.

“It seems her power is completely beyond her control right now.”

“Such…”

Wade furrowed his brow at those words.

Soon after, his head turned again.

He had a good idea of who would be behind such a thing.

Sure enough, the cult leader was looking at them, and at Wade, with a bright smile on his face.

“I’ve had a rough time in the past, you see. So I’ve made some preparations just in case.”

Seeing Wade’s distorted expression, the cult leader laughed as if genuinely pleased.

Then, he grandly raised both arms.

As if on cue.

Vroom─!

The entire space began to vibrate.

Everyone quickly realized where the vibration was coming from.

The place where the cult leader had initially turned his back.

That spot, where the distortion of space was shaking so violently, was trembling even more intensely.

“Wade Hebron, all your efforts will be in vain. The great undertaking will ultimately be achieved.”

The cult leader’s expression as he spoke was utterly serene.

He seemed to have no doubt that the great undertaking would come to pass.

Feeling that calmness, Wade gripped his sword as if to crush it.

As if he would swing the sword at any moment.

But it was as if the cult leader could read that movement.

“Just to let you know in advance, even if you kill me, it won’t mean anything. Mary Blunoir’s power has now escaped even my control.”

“……”

At those words, Wade quietly bit his lip.

He instinctively realized that the cult leader’s words were not lies.

Even if he killed the cult leader, Mary’s rampage would not stop.

That certainty settled in.

Wade’s head turned again, quietly suppressing his anger.

“…Is there no way?”

He directed his question toward Beluid, who had been quietly observing the situation.

Beluid once again scrutinized Mary’s condition, but replied,

“…It seems difficult with my abilities.”

Soon, he shook his head with a dark expression.

It was a response that was only natural.

Returning Mary to her state before the rampage was something beyond Beluid’s abilities.

Yet now, on top of that, she was rampaging.

This was already a situation that could not be handled by Beluid’s power.

“…….”

Silence fell over the gathering.

Everyone held their breath, silently watching Mary as she rampaged without a word.

It was because they knew.

They understood that they could not resolve this situation with their own strength.

That heavy silence was broken by—

“…Wade.”

It was none other than Mary’s voice.

Mary quietly called out to Wade, and naturally, Wade’s gaze turned toward her eyes.

In that moment, their eyes met.

“Wade, please kill me.”

Mary made a shocking request in a calm voice.

“Mary…! What do you mean…!!”

“Miss Mary…!”

“What on earth are you saying…!!”

Everyone was in an uproar, and Wade’s expression twisted.

Wade, who usually showed little change in his expression.

Mary knew that such a reaction from him meant he was quite angry.

However, even knowing that—

“Please, kill me.”

Mary repeated the same words.

“Mary…!”

Rarely, Wade raised his voice, calling out her name, but Mary did not stop.

“You know too, Wade. If this continues, something uncontrollable will happen.”

“……!”

Wade was at a loss for words.

Because it was true.

Since just a little while ago.

From the moment Mary’s powers began to surge, his intuition had been screaming at him.

An intuition that had reached a transcendent realm was constantly warning him.

To stop that.

If they couldn’t, a disaster would surely occur.

Seeing Wade, rendered speechless, Mary smiled.

“Is it because of my ability? I can feel it. Something unusual is happening over there. And the moment it reaches completion, a disaster will unfold that no one can stop.”

Mary’s gaze landed on the space that was still violently shaking.

However, that moment was far from long.

Soon, her gaze returned to Wade.

“We have to stop it. If we don’t, everyone will be in danger.”

“…Is there another way—”

“No, there isn’t.”

Mary firmly cut off Wade’s words that were about to continue.

“There is no other way, Wade. Even if there were, we don’t have time left.”

Mary’s calm words were undeniably true.

At this moment, the most hopeful option here was Beluid.

However, even Beluid had declared it impossible.

In that case, it could be said that there was no one among those present who had the ability to resolve this situation.

If they searched the entire continent, they might find someone who could solve it.

But there was no time for that.

The undulating space of unknown origin was writhing as if it would explode at any moment.

As Mary said, there was no time left.

“…Whether it’s a disaster or whatever, we can stop it.”

“…Yes. No matter what happens, if we join forces, we can stop it.”

Alexis, Rachel, and the others denied Mary’s words.

And the rest of the group expressed their agreement with that sentiment.

They too understood that something unusual was about to unfold.

However, even so, they could not give up Mary’s life.

They resolved to fight, no matter what happened.

To protect Mary’s life, they resolved to fight.

It was a sight that warmed the heart, and words that resonated deeply.

Yet, Beluid, who quietly observed the scene, shook his head inwardly.

Their will, their intent, was noble.

But such words could only be spoken because he did not know what calamity that unknown ripple might bring.

Though he could not speak of it to others, Beluid understood.

He knew what great undertaking the leader was obsessed with, and the true nature of that ripple.

And he knew what would happen the moment it was completed.

Thus, he could not utter such comforting words.

Slowly, Beluid raised his head.

And he shifted his gaze.

In the direction of his gaze stood Wade.

“…….”

As if lost in thought, Wade silently stared at Mary without saying a word.

Mary, too, quietly met Wade’s gaze.

How much time passed in that state?

Wade began to move.

He slowly lifted the sword he held in his hand.