Chapter 44: Apostle Domain
What are the odds of a slightly trained adult human winning against a grizzly bear in a fight?
Kyriaki was calculating something along the lines of that question right now.
The sound of spells casting, swords hitting together and metal armor getting stretched were loud enough to unsettle any ordinary human.
The battle has been going on for a while now.
After Kyriaki failed her most powerful attack, she had been switching places with Euclid with Levana's support, holding the Dark Knight in check.
For the first time in her dragon life, fatigue began to creep over her body like a snail.
'So, Dragons aren't omnipotent after all.'
She already knew only their souls were immortal, but still, at that moment she couldn't help but laugh bitterly.
She felt like she had suddenly been demoted to an ordinary human, and she was fighting a grizzly bear that wouldn't back down no matter what. The most frustrating part was that she wasn't winning. Not at all. If the fight drags on any longer, she'd undeniably end up as the bear's next meal.
That's when it happened.
Euclid glanced at the empty air and frowned. And then performed a summersault immediately, getting closer to Kyriaki.
"Ugh...I wish I had
Kyriaki paused, her Whip-sword immediately turned into a long sword. Even as she did so, she blocked a series of attacks just enough to not get wounded too much.
"...
"System." She called out, ignoring Euclid's curious glances.
[Ding!]
The usual transparent screen she always complained about looked useful to her eyes at that moment. Kyriaki's eyes flickered with the slyness of a vixen.
[I am here, Host]
"I have a divine authority called
[Yes, you do]
"Show it to me."
[Ding!]
[Apostle Domain
Rank: DT
Category: Divine Authority
Type: Active
Description: You open up a domain of absolute authority. In the domain, your words are the law. Everything you command will be done by those of rank DT or below if they are inside the domain circle. It has the authority to make Unbreakable promises and judge the truth in the name of the Truth Holder. The range of the domain will grow with the growth of your Holy power.
Current range: 12 Meters.
Cool down: 9 Months]
"Good." Kyriaki glanced at the screen and nodded with satisfaction. This overpowered skill was exactly what she wanted. "Activate
At her dignified command, Euclid who was listening until then and the system both seemed to freeze. Kyriaki had no time to think she should speak in her mind, all of her focus was on fighting and calculating at the time.
"What are you doing, system? Activate
[...The sub-authority
"Lies. The range of domain has changed and you didn't immediately respond saying I can't use it either. All of this means that the unlocking part is nonsense."
[...]
"Isn't it time for me to unlock another Authority anyway?"
[...]
"Besides, there is a function called
[...Host's body condition is currently unstable. Activating an unlocked authority might lead to severe internal damage to your body]
"Screw that bloody rational judgement. If I don't act now, there won't be a body left to get damaged in the first place."
[...]
"Activate
The hourglass symbol on the transparent screen glowed in multicolors.
[Activating Sub-authority
"Ugh…" Kyriaki grasped her dragon heart the moment she received the notification.
The pain she felt as she recognized the Holy Power within her run wild was enough to faint on the spot. However she, who had so much experience and memories of getting hurt, gritted her teeth and looked ahead while trying her best to suppress those feelings.
[Demoting sub-authority
A thin stream of golden blood dripped down her nostrils once again. Kyriaki felt like her inside was being crushed by a hammer. Although breathing wasn't necessary for her, the feeling of her lungs getting blocked by Mana, which refused to move inside her body, made her mind go white.
Mana, which was both blood and oxygen for dragons, refusing to act was a major problem that could bring death. But Kyriaki's eyes stubbornly fixed her gaze on the Dark Knight before her.
Her unwavering gaze, as if a loyal knight's pledge to protect his master, was awe-inspiring.
[Reducing the domain range to fit the Host's Holy Power amount]
Bloody tears slowly slipped down her cheeks.
"Cough. Cough." Kyriaki inhaled sharply, only to end up coughing blood.
And then, a pure golden light stole the ground beneath her. So dazzling it looked like the sun had risen in this dark and gloomy dungeon. It speared out, more and more. Nearly 6 meters, covering all of those who stood, fighting a bloody battle.
Then it changed colors. From pure gold to mixed silver. Then more and more colors mixed in. Cyan blue, soft pink, lavender, crimson red, jade green… countless colors, like an aurora only the heaven could have, joined the glowing light.
A beautiful pattern, too holy looking for anyone to ignore, appeared under their feet, centered around Kyriaki. A symbol that resembled an hourglass and four rings, like the image of a 3-dimensional atomic orbitals of electrons around an atom's nucleus, occupied the area under Kyriaki's feet. And a luxurious pattern that had many religious centered elements formed into a fairly big circle.
It resembled a magic circle. Yet no one thought it was a mere magic circle. The holy power it emitted was enough for even a clueless person to grasp what it truly was.
The mystical glow of the divinity and pure aura of something otherworldly made everyone pause on their tracks. Everyone except The Dark Knight.
Recognizing the holy power within the circle, the monster twisted its body as if it was in pain. He flung forward like a mad dog released from its collar.
—You…ugh, hah…— Kyriaki groaned and panted.
Yet her determined eyes never left the monster. The words that left her mouth sounded like it was coming from her mind directly, not from her lips. It sounded similar to when she communicated in her dragon form. But there was something hidden, something more than a mere voice in it.
Kyriaki staggered, still clutching her heart. Golden blood leaked from her eyes, nose, ears, mouth and all of her holes. Her tongue and throat cracked from several places internally, leaking blood. Blood veins inside her eyes burst. It was just like the day she made her first ring, but the damage and amount of blood was far too intense.
—...Kill yourself—
Then came the ruthless command. Her lips twisted cruelly and a coldness of a glacier took over her golden eyes.
It was a gamble.
Gambling was never her style. Kyriaki hated uncertainty more than she did for getting hurt. Yet here she was. Doing that exact thing she hated so much. She was uncertain if this kind of command would work inside of her Apostle Domain. However…her mind screamed to try.
Something…
Anything…
As long as she could win, the risk didn't matter.
Hence, she tried.
She failed to notice her teammates shrinking in unknown fear. She failed to notice Euclid trembling like an aspen leaf. She failed to notice her own body giving up and falling on her knees.
Her cold gaze was glued to the trembling monster.
There wasn't even a chance to resist. It took the massive great sword in one hand. The tip of the sword, still glowing with a sinister dark aura, rested on its chest where the Dimensional Crystal resided.
And then…
Stab.
Shatter!
Just before her head hit the floor, the Dimensional Crystal broke like a fragile glass. The great sword dug deep into the heart of the monster and it too fell on its knees loudly.
Kyriaki saw Euclid running towards her with a panicked expression, yelling something she couldn't clearly understand.
[You have slayed the Dark Knight C+]
[Core energy +1.5]
[Congratulations!]
[You have cleared the
[You've obtained The Great Sword of the Death Knight]
[You've obtained The Armor of the Death Knight]
[You've obtained ancient gold coins of Zal'kitana Church +10,000]
[Moving all rewards to the temporary Inventory]
[Unlocking 1% of knowledge obtained from the whispers of time]
[Deactivating the sub-authority
[Removing the
[Updating
[
[Activating emergency protocol]
[Adjusting Host's body for fast recovery]
[Ding] [Ding] [Ding]
'So noisy.' Kyriaki scowled as her vision went dark.
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Shaaaaaah!
An eternal glow enveloped the entire boss room. Levana paused on her tracks as her instincts screamed at her not to even carelessly blink.
A beautiful circle that resembled a magic circle she had never seen before speared beneath her in a grace only lost divinity could muster. Strange symbols and luxurious looking patterns undeniably belong to a god or someone of such rank decorated the circle.
The otherworldly aura of the unmistakable divine circle appeared peaceful. Comforting, even. Yet the authoritative awe was too much that she felt like she should obey any command came from it. She felt too small, too unimportant and too unworthy to question or dare to disobey.
The moment her grey eyes naturally landed on the very person who created that mysterious allure, she forgot to breathe.
Was it because it was her first time seeing a dragon wearing such a pained expression?
Or was it because her friend was bleeding all over?
Or perhaps was it because that very person was still mesmerizingly beautiful despite all of the chaos?
Honestly, Levana didn't know anymore.
Everything that person did was unpredictable.
She looked at Kyriaki—the one who started it all—in a daze.
Amidst the divine glow, Kyriaki's golden eyes shone even more beautifully. Her long eyelashes, together with her fluttering golden hair all glowed and glittered like they were made of stars meticulously woven together. A halo shone behind her in multicolors, like crowning her the goddess of judgement with the authority of the universe. It made her breathtakingly beautiful.
Her pained expression, as if she had truly become the tragic pianist of the mysterious sword art she unleashed before, was enough to make Levana's heart ache with indescribable feelings.
—You…ugh, hah…— Kyriaki groaned, pulling Levana from her dazed state.
That voice, definitely belonging to the golden hatchling, yet somewhat different from usual, reached every corner of the brightened cathedral. It felt as if her voice was imbued with something holy, something that should be worshipped and have faith in.
Levana couldn't look away from Kyriaki's captivating golden eyes that held the determination of a ruler with so many responsibilities. The dark elf followed that gaze with her grey eyes and finally spotted the Dark Knight throwing himself at Kyriaki as if he had lost his mind.
Just as the monster was about to reach her, Kyriaki staggered and clutched her heart tighter. Levana saw how she bled all over like a broken damp, but for some reason, she couldn't feel any distress. Instead, the golden hatchling still had calm and calculating eyes. She appeared merciless and authoritative, as if looking down at mere insects that were unworthy of her time.
Watching it, an unwavering faith overwhelmed Levana's heart. She wanted to believe in Kyriaki. Although Kyriaki looked as if she couldn't lift her sword anymore, Levana felt that the golden hatchling before her could protect everyone and do anything.
Swords?
Magic?
It didn't matter. It felt like just her voice could bring peace and salvation. Just her existence could bring the world under her feet. Her voice was the law. Her gaze was the final judgement.
And so, it happened.
—...Kill yourself—
It was a far more ruthless command than the peaceful and comforting eternal divinity that surrounded the owner of that voice.
The lips twisted into a cruel smile and eyes that held the cold Frerland glaciers inside resembled a cold-blooded goddess, wielding her authority. Levana shrank down, shivering. Her faith didn't waver, but the sheer authority of that voice was enough to make her so very small. As if an ant in front of an elephant.
The monster acted within a second.
There was no time to argue, no time to resist.
Stab. Shatter!
With that, like it was that easy to put an end to everything, the monster stabbed its own heart, together with the Dimensional Crystal. He killed himself, just like that.
[Ding!] [Ding!] [Ding!]
[Congratulations!]
[You have cleared the
[You've obtained ancient gold coins of Zal'kitana Church]
[You've obtained Death Nun's veil (C-)]
A mountain of gold rained down from the ceiling before her eyes, brightening the gloomy church. But neither the system nor gold caught Levana's eyes.
Her grey eyes trembled as she shrunk back in fear and awe as Kyriaki fell on her knees and then completely lost consciousness.
"Ria!! What the hell!! You idiot!!!" Euclid ran towards the golden hatchling, yelling and panicking. Yet Levana was in no position to pay him any attention.
All the feelings she felt, all the things she saw… Everything was real.
It was true that Kyriaki's voice held the power to do anything.
And that made Levana feel relieved and yet fearful. Cold sweat ran down her back. Her hands trembled uncontrollably. She felt as if strength was leaving her body slowly as if she was facing the personification of death itself.
A mystical divine circle that gave the power to control everything at will, whether giving salvation of purity or judgment of death. It was a terrifying power that should not and could not exist in this world.
Gaining the knowledge that Kyriaki, the daughter of the Dragon King and the next monarch of this world wielding such power was—well, rather mind-blowing.
Rumble. Wroom.
Levana lifted her head swiftly, abandoning all the thoughts running through her mind. She finally noticed something she failed to notice before.
The ground beneath her trembled. And a jet black and magenta colored energy wrapped them in whole.
"Wh-what—" Levana tried to scream as she was swallowed by the dark energy that bursted out from nowhere.
"Demonic energy?!" Euclid's angered voice, muffled by the darkness, was the last thing Levana heard.
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