Upon seeing the humanoid life form in the sky, Ryōko Yakushiji was utterly stunned:
"What is that? An angel?! How can such a thing exist?"
"Keep quiet." At that moment, Jun Tao narrowed her eyes and said softly, "It's coming."
As soon as she finished speaking, the angel in the sky swung its sword downward, the blade's light transforming into pure white flames that engulfed hundreds of various races on the ground, swallowing them all in a sea of white fire.
Boom————!
The flames devoured the earth, scorching everything.
Almost simultaneously, agonised screams erupted abruptly.
"Aaaaaaah—!!"
As the piercing shrieks rang out, Jun Tao frowned, turning her head to gaze in the direction where the angel stood. Seeming to notice something, she focused intently and said:
"I never expected the Union would bring her out as well..."
"Brought out who?" Ryōko Yakushiji asked warily.
A being personally summoned by one of the Five Great Powers... Could it be, like that monster from the Hidden Management Department, one of those Demigods standing at the pinnacle of mystic side combat power?
Hearing Ryōko Yakushiji's question, Jun Tao looked up at the angel slowly sheathing its sword and said pensively:
"One of the Thirteen Apostles, the Saintess Joan of Arc!!"
After saying this, without waiting for Ryōko Yakushiji to inquire further, Jun Tao immediately added:
"Hold on tight, we need to flee. If those maniacs set their sights on us, I can't guarantee I'll be able to protect your life."
Hearing this, Ryōko Yakushiji, without hesitation, gripped the fur of the leopard beneath her tightly, afraid of being thrown off.
At the same time, the leopard under them paused for a moment on its toes, then abruptly increased its speed severalfold, leaping between rocks as it swiftly distanced itself towards the far horizon.
...
Meanwhile.
Standing in the air was the radiant angel.
A blond young man in a white military uniform, wearing glasses, with gaunt cheeks, adjusted his spectacles and glanced in the direction Jun Tao had fled:
"That technique fluctuation... Taoist arts from the Chinese Union?"
After speaking, he calmly turned his head to look at the petite girl beside him:
"Lady Joan, shall we eliminate them?"
"There's no need for that, Marco."
The silver-haired, red-eyed girl smiled as she watched the yokai hordes wailing in the sea of fire:
"Those who fled were merely humans."
Hearing this, Marco adjusted his glasses and said indifferently:
"I see, I understand your meaning."
As his words fell, Marco calmly issued an order to the mechanical angel in the sky:
"Michael, grant them release!"
With that, pure white radiance once again showered the earth, sweeping away all impurities.
After all the yokai and dragonised monsters had vanished in the pure white flames, the silver-haired, red-eyed girl turned and began to walk away:
"Let's go, Marco."
"Ahead, there is more evil awaiting our cleansing."
"Yes, Lady Joan."
As the two conversed in question-and-answer, they vanished from the plain, leaving only greyish-white dust on the ground. With a gust of wind, the dust swirled, and everything disappeared without a trace.
After the two departed.
Twenty kilometres away.
Within a forest of hard, conical structures, each three metres tall.
Kazuma Yagami raised his right index finger, a small whirlwind gently spinning at its tip.
After receiving the information carried by this whirlwind, a visibly troubled expression appeared on Kazuma Yagami's face:
"I knew the other Unions wouldn't just sit back and let us take away the True Dragon technique Class."
"Now look, the French Union has directly dispatched one of the Thirteen Apostles."
"Are they planning to resort to force right away?"
Hearing this, Tatsuya Shiba, standing on a nearby black cone, asked expressionlessly:
"What are the Thirteen Apostles?"
At this, Kazuma Yagami scratched his head and said with clear frustration:
"The so-called Thirteen Apostles are the title given to the thirteen strongest individuals selected by the Five Great Powers from all the official sorcerers they've trained, governed, or cooperated with."
"According to the information the Five Great Powers plan to publicly release, each of the Thirteen Apostles possesses Demigod Rank strength!"
"But saying that is one thing – whether they're truly Demigod Rank, I'm not sure. However, there are indeed a few particularly strong individuals among the Thirteen Apostles who might actually rival monsters like Luo Shu or Hao Asakura."
Hearing this, Tatsuya Shiba nodded in understanding:
"The thirteen strongest individuals selected by the Unions?"
"So that's what the Thirteen Apostles are."
As he spoke, Tatsuya Shiba glanced towards the distant figures of the two who had departed, then said:
"So, those two are the Apostles belonging to the French Union?"
"No, only the silver-haired girl is."
Kazuma Yagami scratched his head, somewhat troubled as he explained:
"Maiden Joan of Arc, said to be the reincarnation of that female Saint of Christianity, Jeanne d'Arc – someone who made a contract with a deity."
"She's the French Union's member of the Thirteen Apostles, codenamed Saintess."
"The one who attacked earlier was the spirit body manipulator, Maiden Joan of Arc's subordinate, the captain of X-LAWS, Marco Lasso."
"Really, when even a subordinate has that monstrous level of strength, I definitely shouldn't have gotten involved in these matters."
Tatsuya Shiba merely glanced faintly at Kazuma Yagami upon hearing this, then said:
"I have a question for you."
"...Go ahead."
Kazuma Yagami turned his head to look at Tatsuya Shiba, curious.
At this, Tatsuya Shiba said expressionlessly: "Which Union's Apostle are you?"
Hearing this, Kazuma Yagami laughed, a very meaningful laugh:
"Are you thinking of transferring allegiances, too?"
"The Chinese Union, then..."
Tatsuya Shiba sighed, then looked down at the yokai ashes that had already been completely absorbed by this reddish-brown earth, frowning as he said:
"The situation here is becoming abnormal. This Abyss world seems to be draining our power."
"At this rate, in another 7 days, our power will diminish to Common levels. By then, even if we want to escape, it will be too late."
Hearing this, Kazuma Yagami spoke with an indifferent expression:
"Don't worry, it won't drag on for eight days."
As he said this, Kazuma narrowed his eyes, his expression particularly pitying as he continued:
"Because those monsters who've realised this have already started taking action!"
As his words fell, the reddish-brown earth in the distance instantly transformed into a snow-covered world of ice and snow.
Whoosh~!
A cold wind blew past.
Tatsuya Shiba slightly raised his hand, catching the fine snowflakes falling from the sky, then murmured:
"It's actually snowing?"
After speaking, Tatsuya lowered his head, gazing into the distance at the dark sun that had quietly risen and the mechanical angel confronting it, seemingly wrapped in pure white.
Immediately, Tatsuya said with an expressionless face:
"Using combat techniques on this scale in a place like this..."
"It seems the battle truly can't last until 7 days later..."