Chapter 277: The Encroachment of the Black Reaper Corps
The outskirts of a certain country.
This place had never truly known peace for many years. Due to the decline of certain sects and the issues of a certain kingdom, this region had long become conquered territory by the likes of a certain organization. That being said, this organization was not truly as unified as outsiders perceived. They created a multitude of branches across many countries. At some point, they even created what would have been their biggest and most powerful branch between the lands of Brawlmanica and Garffle Country, but thanks to various incidents on top of many major setbacks, everything eventually fell through.
With that being said, this place had become something of a superpower as a result, acting as their true main headquarters. On the other hand, because of their status they could not forgo the war against the Purple Starmist continent, so a good portion of their forces were drafted to the battlefield above the ocean by the Red Star Empire. Thanks to such circumstances, how could they have possibly prepared for the disaster that was to come?
No, perhaps that isn't right. A number of their forces had set out to dispose of a certain individual, but who would have guessed that said individual already made plans to go directly to their main base and strike them?
…
A large army of experts had gathered together. Twenty individuals sat shackled with terrible injuries in the middle of them as they quivered in fear before the people surrounding them.
"P-Please spare us! E-Even if you are traitors to the church we won't say anything. Please, I don't want to die!!" A bloodied man pleaded in desperation.
"…Haaah. Personally I don' care what happens to you trash, but 'cause you've given up, boss said that we don' have'ta kill ya, yeah." A fully armored man with a sharp gaze said with an uncaring expression.
"Sir! The 46th group just finished the mission, slaughtering a group of guards in the eastern direction. We've got 37 prisoners since they surrendered. It appears that 12 of them are people a part of the Neutral Light faction of the church. Vice Sectmaster did say that if possible we were to leave them be and only treat them roughly as prisoners if they resist. Well, like numerous others, there was also the option to betray the church and join our ranks." A man appeared swiftly as he reported with a deep voice.
"Excellent. Then we will begin to move further. Hehehe. This despicable church is full of rats, apparently." The man said with a sneer as everyone began to move forward.
…
"K-Kageha?! Kuroha?! Why are you two here? And who are these people behind you?" An elderly man with a vast aura at Gold tier 4 asked in disbelief.
"Deacon Desdamma. It's been a few years." Kageha said with a deep bow. Kuroha followed his lead, along with various others behind them.
"Ah… some of you are freed children with fates of misfortune from various locations. I'm happy to see that you're alive and have found your purpose." The deacon's eyes narrowed as his tired expression deepened. "What exactly are you all doing in this secret tunnel beneath the ground?"
Kageha stood silently for a moment as a tense atmosphere filled the area before he responded. "You're well aware as to why we are here. There could not have been a better time to act on this."
The deacon stood stunned as an even more tired expression appeared on his face. "So in the end it has come to this. No, perhaps it was inevitable since you all were already being heavily targeted. How exactly did you get through all of those armies that went out to hunt you near Brawlmanica?"
"Well, naturally we found ways to secretly dispose of some of them and then created an opening while annihilating and recruiting 'traitors of the church'. Unexpectedly, there were far more people willing to help than imagined. Something has changed, or perhaps we were too young to notice back then." Kageha said with a shake of his head.
"Well, there certainly have been quite a few changes, and 'he' was likely one of the major causes of it." The deacon replied as a sharp gaze appeared on his face at the mention of 'him'. "Speaking of him, you are both following his orders right now, aren't you?"
"We are. We simply owe too much to Aniki. Much more than even that time back then." Kageha said calmly. "In fact, by looking at our current appearances I'm sure you can figure out some things. We owe not only Zoro-Aniki our lives, but after him we owe our two Anegos, whose names we are unable to reveal, for giving us renewed life after being on the brink of death. Ah, you'd know them as Daoist Heavens Star Eyes and the White Corrosive Flame Empress."
The deacon stood stunned upon hearing such revelations. Suddenly, as if having an epiphany, two young girls who had broken through becoming Gold tier 1 experts years ago appeared within his mind when he heard the two Daoist titles. He went wide eyed as he muttered at the possibility. "Is it them?! Fate is truly an interesting thing…"
(Refer to Chapter 76 for a refresher on details.)
"Deacon, you should join us. Or if not, you should flee from this place as soon as possible. We would rather not fight a benefactor who taught us and always treated us well." Kuroha said with a serene gaze that slowly grew sharper.
The deacon stood there silently for a moment. Behind him were various experts who wore grim expressions. He closed his eyes momentarily, falling completely into his thoughts. After a period of silence, he opened his eyes with a profound gaze filled with white, black, and yellow light. Two long black daggers with white glowing patterns along their blades slid down from the sleeves of his robes. He sighed with a tired expression before his gaze sharpened.
Kageha, Kuroha, and the subordinates behind them looked on with blank expressions. The twins' masks, which had briefly become transparent, returned to their solid black color adorned with golden stars. They too unsheathed their weapons. On both sides, everyone began to draw their arms and make preparations for battle.
Silence pervaded the underground passage as the deacon shook his head, then glanced backward with a sharp gaze.
…
"Seriously, what exactly do you get out of going against the young Mistress's plans?" A young woman with a sharp gaze colored by the power of the Aka Boshi no Tengan asked the man beside her with open curiosity.
The man stood silently for a moment before glancing at her with a slightly annoyed look. "Oi, why exactly have you been constantly following me? You're not part of my Black Reaper Corps. You're from the Star Eyed division."
The woman shrugged her shoulders casually. "Hmph. Naturally I wouldn't be here lingering around you if not for Lady Christy ordering me to. Putting that aside, who's to say I haven't taken a bit of a liking to you? You have quite the interesting demeanor, Master Zoro."
Zoro was momentarily taken aback by her frankness. Ever since the forced conscription tied to the continental war among the great sects and clans, many forces affiliated with the White Star Radiance had sent waves of their younger disciples into the sect as a means of protection. This woman was one such individual who had appeared during the third wave, just after Christy became a Mortal Lord. This had also coincided with Christian and Christina entering closed-door seclusion to make breakthroughs after Christy began helping to evolve their eyes.
A similar phenomenon had occurred on a far larger scale with powers such as the Grand Fae Spirit Alliance. The Soloman clan had also used it as a loophole, though under slightly different circumstances.
Zoro quickly regained his stoic demeanor. "Regardless, what I'm doing will aid the mission overall. This is also the perfect opportunity to crush this filthy place while many of their powerhouses are away. I will also be taking back what is mine. What belongs to Tatsumaki."
The woman studied Zoro for a moment before smirking darkly. "Interesting. I think I like you a bit more now. I'll let you in on a little secret."
Her gaze darkened as murderous intent poured from her presence. Her Aka Boshi no Tengan faintly glowed as the countless tiny magical symbols within her pupils subtly shifted into black and white patterns streaked with red starlight. Her body briefly warped before snapping back to normal.
"I too am someone who seeks vengeance and the destruction of places like this. It was this damned church that backed the small, filthy organization that did this to me." Her voice trembled with restrained fury. "It's only thanks to the heavens that they never had the chance to defile me beyond certain experiments and touches, but… I, Chassina Akayama, will use this opportunity to slaughter this trash. The Aka Boshi no Tengan clan wiped out that smaller organization, but we never had proof of the Night's Light Devouring Church's involvement. In the end, who cares? Master Zoro, I'm counting on you."
Zoro looked at the woman's twisted expression, filled with resentment and hatred. He gently placed a hand on top of her head, smiling faintly as a dark killing aura seeped from him. "You're part of the White Star Radiance sect now. You're also Christy's subordinate. Of course I'll make your hatred my own and slaughter every piece of trash in this place."
Chassina stiffened in surprise, then hurriedly grabbed his wrist. "H-Hey! Stop that! I'm actually older than you, so you can't just do something like that. But… I appreciate it. I might like you even more now."
Zoro chuckled softly before shifting his gaze forward.
The Night's Light Devouring Church Headquarters.
With a cold, intense stare and a murderous smile, Zoro drew his two black katanas. He stepped toward the massive structure ahead, Chassina following close behind. In the distance, multiple forces of the Black Reaper Corps began converging from all directions.
An all-out war was about to begin.