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Battle Priest.

Possessing power on par with exceptional mercenaries, they are aptly named, embracing divine strength within.

They bravely navigate the battlefield, focusing on supporting their allies.

In emergencies, they take to combat. If the enemy targets their arm, they’ll willingly sacrifice it to strike back. After all, they have divine powers. Only those considered elite among ordinary priests qualify as Battle Priests, making them nearly impervious to typical injuries.

They fear not pain, knowing well that their divine strength will heal them swiftly.

Thus, Battle Priests display fearless combat styles, supporting and aiding their comrades.

However, perhaps due to such audacious fighting, I’ve never encountered a sane Battle Priest… as expected.

“…”

Before me stands the Battle Priest leader, appearing to be Ainel Shianella. Amidst this chaotic situation, she smiles softly.

“Well then, half of us, including me, will defend the castle wall with Siabel. The remaining half… Ah! Katrin will lead and follow Diolia. You can manage that, right, Katrin?”

“Of course, Tiya.”

“Great. Let’s move at once. It seems there are many in need of our aid.”

The Battle Priests split into two, centered around the two women named Tiya and Katrin. Uniquely, among them were both women and men, given that the work of a priest relies on divine power rather than mana.

They likely possess exceptional talents in divine power… and have contrasting personalities compared to the spineless men of this world.

“Let’s get going. The situation at the castle wall is quite urgent.”

Siabel said this as she led her knights, moving briskly. She nodded to me momentarily as a greeting.

“… Once this is over, I plan to play with you and Shione every day.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just stay alive and don’t die. Are you wearing the ring I gave you properly?”

I raised my left hand.

On my index finger was the ring, a magical item imbued with protective effects given by Siabel.

“Of course, I am.”

Siabel passed by me with a satisfied smile for a brief moment.

All I could do was silently wish for good fortune.

*

Siabel suddenly lowered her stance.

Her silver hair fluttered as she pressed against the ground.

Rustle!

There was no hesitation in her strike.

All the monsters that she passed fell, losing heads or limbs.

“Knights, stop the monsters climbing the castle walls, and soldiers, finish off those that are still alive!”

At Siabel’s command, the knights following her began to confront the monsters scaling the walls. The soldiers pierced with their spears anything that still had breath left.

Tiya walked above the path, which was now stained with deep red blood from the slain, spreading it across the surface.

A priest is not a god. The dead cannot be resurrected unless they are saints or holy beings. With the divine power granted by the gods, she could not restore those whose hearts have ceased beating.

She only offered a pitying glance at the fallen.

Her concern turned toward those still clinging to life.

“Over there, there’s a patient still alive. But to get to them─”

Tiya narrowed her eyes.

Yet, her faint smile remained.

“I’ll have to kill that monster.”

With the knights at a distance, she would have to confront it personally.

Tiya whispered as she approached the monster looming over a soldier who was still conscious, but barely. She dashed toward it boldly.

Thud!

She landed with a firm step.

As the heavy mace neared the creature’s head, I was sure it would hit.

Thump!

A fixated stance, and she raised the mace high.

Boom!

A deep sound cut through the air.

She struck downwards, drawing a straight line, the mark landing precisely on the monster’s head.

Crack!

The monster’s skull caved in, splattering brain matter and blood onto the Battle Priest’s holy garb.

Nevertheless, Tiya paid it no mind.

She simply continued to smile, gathering divine power in her hands.

A divine aura.

As the life and restorative energy granted by the gods enveloped the fallen woman, her breath steadied.

While healing the woman nearing unconsciousness, Tiya’s eyes observed the mass of enemies beyond the castle wall.

Even though knights and wizards had already slain over a thousand, countless foes still remained.

She shook her head in disbelief.

“The gods have spoken. The monsters are but creations of demons, mere toys.”

Thus, having no hesitation in slaying them, the priests believe it is their duty to crush the toys of demons.

“Even at this number, I might get a little tired.”

Tiaya was no exception.

*

[We charge into battle with Siabel Shianella.]

[Some of your limited powers have been unleashed.]

As Siabel began sweeping across the castle walls, my power surged forth once more.

My heart beat stronger. Life and mana coursed through my body more rapidly than ever.

In that moment, I had become a finely honed blade since falling into this wretched world. My dulled senses awakened, allowing me to feel everything, and this painfully weak physique somewhat blossomed, granting me a hint of omnipotence.

Though I finally regained some formidable power, there was no time to celebrate.

A significant enemy had emerged within my expanded perception; one that was targeting Shione Shianella.

Hiding among the towering pile of corpses, the creature awaited its chance, suppressing its presence, likely a beast of sizable stature.

It seemed to have completely concealed itself among the dead, as it hadn’t been found until now. Only two people had realized its presence: me and—

“… As expected.”

As expected, the knight who stood so close to the Master.

Ainel Shianella fixated her cold gaze at the area where the presence was felt.

Clench.

Ainel’s hand had already risen towards the hilt of her sword, poised to strike the moment it revealed itself.

Her usual broad perspective narrowed to focus solely on Shione and that heap of corpses.

That’s when I nocked an arrow on my bowstring.

‘With the mage’s mana restored, I’ll return once more.’

Focusing too much on that one monster would be foolish.

I would handle it; Ainel needed to strategize for the mages.

“…….”

“…….”

Our eyes connected, Ainel and I.

She noticed the direction of my arrowhead, her grip loosening on the sword’s hilt slightly.

At that moment.

Grrr!

The loud roar filled the air as the monster leapt from the pile of corpses.

With sturdy four legs, it launched itself. Its tough hide looked as though it wouldn’t fall to a mere arrow.

Whoosh!

I gathered a whirlwind on my arrow. The cold winter wind expanded around me, drawing attention towards me.

“Ah…!”

Finally, Shione spotted the monster gaping at her.

Anticipating that Shione would freeze in terror, I was astonished when she quickly adjusted her aim, releasing the arrow.

However, wobbly, it missed its mark, striking the side of the monster instead.

As its jaws opened wider, it seemed poised to snap up the delicate Shione’s neck.

I silently let go of the arrow poised against the string, utilizing Dead Release.

Whoosh!!!

The wind roared.

Thanks to the elven bow’s might, my spirit magic resonated within it, amplifying the arrow’s power without hesitation.

As the arrow was released, compressed air surged behind it, propelling it forward.

Boom!

The monster’s body exploded.

The arrow, elongated by its size, pierced through, and the now-weightless monster was swept away by the wind, rolling off the corpse pile and disappearing entirely.

“Watch your back! It’s dangerous ahead. Don’t let your guard down; that monster could strike at any moment.”

Shione nodded vacantly, clearly startled by the power of my arrow.

Securing Shione close to me, I surveyed the surroundings.

Naturally, the astonished gazes of the women were now fixated on me, wide-eyed.

Among them, the most astonished was—

“Uh… uh…”

The crimson-haired wizard, Ravi Crunel, looked at me, her eyes filled with disbelief.

But soon enough, at Ainel’s command, they turned away from me.

“The mages should clear away that pile of corpses and incinerate them.”

The mages began to harness mana at her command.

Strong winds began to whip around.

Corpse by corpse tumbled down as the advancing monsters were halted.

By igniting from below, the corpses began to blaze fiercely, burning away the monsters. The scent of charred flesh and acrid smoke billowed.

“Phew…”

Finally, a moment to breathe.

Just then, Shione tugged at my clothing and whispered.

“Ray… a demon.”

Shione’s gaze remained locked onto a singular point that showed no sign of falling away.

Ainel was similarly focused. Even Siabel, who had been observing from the right, was now fixated on the same point with deadly intent.

“… A demon, you say?”

“Look. Over there, among the flames.”

In the inferno of corpses, a shadow quietly gazed up at the castle wall.

Gathering mana in my eyes, I finally managed to see it.

Standing on two legs yet not quite human, it was a creature comprised of various animal limbs grotesquely assembled. And most notably, it had two black horns protruding from its head.

It peered at this place with eyes resembling those of a lizard.

“… A lowly demon.”

Demons take on more human-like forms with higher ranks.

What stands before me now is a non-human figure, an inconsistency of beast; that’s one of the most typical appearances of a lowly demon.

I have plenty of experiences in exterminating such lowly beings, so I regard it with disdain.

“Ray, wait, why are you moving forward—”

“As long as a demon exists, this warfare won’t end. If a demon is present, we should shoot it down.”

I climbed to the edge of the castle wall.

Considering my revulsion towards lower-tier demons from memory, with the power unlocked thanks to Siabel and Shione, I could easily take down such a wretched creature.

“Phew.”

I steadied my breath.

The scorching air from the flames surged through me.

Nocking an arrow, I drew the bowstring back.

Sliding Release.

Quickly drawing back the string, I planned to deploy my spirit magic with the elven bow at that precise moment, finishing my spell.

Demons are sly and keen. I need to pierce it before it realizes that I intend to kill it.

Channeling my racing heartbeat, I summoned mana.

Gathering the chill of the northern winds that had blown down, I infused it with my flames.

The air around me began to quake. Spiraling winds condensed into the arrow, while the flames burst forth, blossoming vividly.

The elven bow amplified my magic brilliantly, making me the focal point of awe among everyone on the castle wall.

An attack crafted from more than 70% of my mana.

Before the demon could respond in any meaningful way, the spell soared toward the world beyond.

 

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