The Red Eternity had finally found Basilio. Though it didn't speak, the intention conveyed through its gaze was clear. It planned to make Basilio its vessel.
Now that Zaxilos, Phillis, and Mirak were all dead, Red Eternity had only one choice left: Basilio.
The red angel slowly approached Basilio. Basilio was still unable to maintain his sanity due to the whispers.
"Grugh. This, damn bastard!"
He tried to endure the whispers somehow, but when Red Eternity directly fixed its gaze on him, his will was snuffed out like a candle before the wind.
Resistance is meaningless.
"Shut up!"
Do not choose suffering and come to me. I shall grant you eternal life and power.
"Grugh! Shut up! I said shut up!"
His reason scattered and his self disappeared. Watching a living intelligent being crumble in real time was truly a horrific sight.
"Stop it!"
Krua screamed. She instinctively sensed that it would be dangerous if Red Eternity made contact with Basilio like this.
It wasn't just words. Krua clenched her fist tightly and hurled it toward the red angel. The giant eyeball protruding from its torso was her target.
Crunch!
A dark green aura formed around her fist, transforming into the mouth of a giant demon. The demon opened its sharp teeth wide with a crunch , trying to bite the eyeball.
Thud.
Red Eternity's pupil, which had been watching Basilio, turned toward Krua.
Boom!
An invisible explosion occurred in midair. Krua flew backward at a much faster speed than when she had charged forward. Her arms and legs were broken in bizarre directions as she flew.
Krua rolled on the ground, coughing up blood. Attila saw her sister like this and cried out.
"Sister Krua!"
Attila bit her lip and glared at Red Eternity. Countless octopus tentacles rose from beneath her feet like thorny vines.
Rumble!
The cephalopod limbs with sharp spines protruding from them surged toward Red Eternity like a wave. Red Eternity gazed at that wave of tentacles.
Crack.
The wave of tentacles split left and right with a crack , passing by Red Eternity. It was an incomprehensible sight. Just by looking, it had neutralized their attack.
Then, from the darkness of the split tentacles on both sides, a pitch-black shadow rose. From within the shadow, a sharp dagger thrust toward Red Eternity's eye.
Clang!
The blade stopped in midair. It felt like it had encountered some invisible wall. Malina, who had thrust the sword, bit her lip seeing this.
It was the moment when Red Eternity's pupil turned toward Malina.
"Move aside."
Golden radiance flashed in the air. Malina quickly retreated, and immediately after, a massive hammer struck Red Eternity directly.
It was a giant sacred hammer over 5 meters in size. Martinez detonated the hammer he had brought down. The condensed divine power exploded, scattering purifying flames all around.
Martinez's expression hardened as he watched the spectacular flames swirling about. This was because Red Eternity walked out from within the purifying flames completely unharmed.
Each time it took a step, the purifying flames parted left and right as if opening a path. The sacred flames seemed to be afraid.
Swoosh.
Three shadows shot up behind Red Eternity. They were Kudan, Delford, and Krollakia, members of the Blood Brotherhood.
The three simultaneously launched attacks at Red Eternity. It was an excellent combined attack befitting brothers, requiring no words.
Red Eternity moved its arm without even looking back. When it lightly swung its arm backward, a massive shockwave swept through the area.
"Cough!"
Delford and Krollakia couldn't withstand that impact and were sent flying. There wasn't a single bone in their bodies that didn't ache. Even Krollakia's tough scales cracked like glass in various places.
The only one who managed to hold his ground was Kudan. Kudan was able to avoid being blown away by deflecting the force applied to his body to the surroundings as much as possible. But that didn't mean he was in good condition.
'What kind of power is this?'
His head was dizzy and he felt nauseous. It was hard to properly control his staggering body. Even though he had deflected as much as he could, the remaining force had thoroughly shaken his entire body. Blood trickled down through his lips.
Red Eternity looked at Kudan with apparent interest. It seemed surprised that he could withstand its attack. But what Red Eternity wanted now was Basilio. It couldn't waste time on such trivial beings.
Red Eternity raised its hand and aimed at Kudan. Just as it was about to finish him off, a wave of black hair engulfed it.
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch-crunch-crunch!
The pitch-black hair wrapped around Red Eternity like a mummy, tightly constricting its entire body. Grace Seeker didn't stop there and bit the tip of her finger with her teeth.
Rip!
The skin tore and red blood flowed down. Grace scattered the blood into the air.
Sizzle-sizzle-sizzle!
The blood droplets transformed into red hairpins. Countless hairpins pierced the entire body of Red Eternity, which had become a black mummy.
Bulge!
The hair swelled like a balloon. Grace's eyes widened. She tried to suppress it somehow, but it was her limit. With an explosion, the hair was torn to shreds and Red Eternity walked out in perfect condition.
Red Eternity gazed at Grace.
"Urgh! Cough!"
The moment that gaze reached her, Grace unconsciously vomited a large amount of blood and collapsed on the spot.
"Sister!"
Delford moved. Though the bones throughout his body were crushed, he amplified his wild nature and drew out his recovery power. Awoooo! With a body that had grown even larger than before, his claws extended long like blades.
Delford let out a roar and launched a wild slash at Red Eternity.
Crack!
All of Delford's claws shattered. His right arm bent grotesquely, and the area around his solar plexus caved in as if struck by something.
Delford flew backward, coughing up blood.
Senaka stepped forward. When she glared at Red Eternity, the surrounding area rapidly froze.
Red Eternity gazed back at Senaka in return. The ice around its body rapidly melted, gradually expanding the range of that thawing toward Senaka.
"Urgh."
Senaka hesitated and retreated while not taking her eyes off Red Eternity. Meanwhile, the ice melted at a rapid pace, and before long, all the ice near Senaka had melted away.
[You bastard. That's enough.]
Then Cthulatlap intervened between the two. Senaka gasped for the breath that had been blocked and collapsed heavily on the spot.
Red Eternity glared at Cthulatlap with an annoyed gaze. Cthulatlap also revealed its presence and resisted Red Eternity's power.
But all Cthulatlap could do was buy a little time. Red Eternity knew this too, so it narrowed its eyes and grinned wickedly.
[Insolent fool. How dare you smile?]
Cthulatlap was enraged, but it was useless. When Red Eternity applied a little more force, the frail starfish was powerlessly sent flying and rolled on the ground.
Then Martinez and Malina simultaneously charged at Red Eternity from both sides. The blazing sacred alchemy greatsword and the rippling black shadow dagger aimed for Red Eternity's vital points.
Crash!
Red Eternity stretched out both arms and blocked both attacks with its bare hands.
Drip.
Then a drop of blood fell from Red Eternity's palm. Martinez and Malina's attacks had caused a wound.
Martinez and Malina's eyes lit up. That's right. This creature was strong, but that didn't mean it was invincible. The fact that it was wounded meant they could kill it. The two immediately tried to continue their attacks.
However, Red Eternity didn't allow it. Though it had borrowed an angel's body, considerable anger arose at having its inhabited body wounded.
Roooar!
Just by Red Eternity revealing its presence, Martinez and Malina had to roll on the ground like leaves swept by the wind.
"Get away, you monster!"
Maia also launched an attack, but it was useless. The summoned creatures she controlled were torn apart and scattered with a single gesture from Red Eternity, and Maia beyond them also had to fall while bleeding.
Red Eternity's gaze turned toward Basilio. All the other troublesome ones had been dealt with. Only Basilio remained.
Then Martinez stood as if guarding in front of Basilio. Red Eternity frowned. Martinez was wrapping divine power around his entire body, recovering from his wounds. His survival ability was comparable to a cockroach.
"Huff. Huff."
But his exhaustion was unavoidable, as his breathing was rough. Martinez stared at Red Eternity.
'Strong. So strong that I can't even imagine being able to win.'
How long had it been since he felt such overwhelming defeat? He thought he wouldn't feel such emotions anymore after fighting Osian. But reality was different. The world was still vast, and he was still a naive youngster who knew nothing about the world.
"Oh God. Grant this pitiful lamb upright strength that will not yield to external pressure."
Martinez prayed. Earnestly. Devoutly.
Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble! The divine power arising from his entire body became a storm and raged.
Red Eternity glared at Martinez with a displeased gaze.
That divine power was an opposing force that offset external energy. Red Eternity judged that it had to eliminate Martinez from this place.
It raised its hand and aimed at Martinez. An invisible wave was compressed and shot out thin and long.
"...!"
Martinez's eyes widened. He instinctively created five massive cross-shaped shields of sacred alchemy in front of him.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Those shields were pierced all too futilely. Martinez couldn't avoid that attack.
Swoosh!
The invisible sharp attack grazed Martinez's cheek. Red blood flowed endlessly from the torn skin.
Red Eternity gazed at its own arm with an irritated look. The arm it had extended aiming for Martinez's brow was bound by black chains.
Because of this, the attack had missed. Red Eternity's gaze turned toward the owner of the chains. Malina was gripping the chains and pulling with all her strength.
That one was also among the troublesome ones. Like Martinez, she was an existence capable of wounding it. It wasn't just the knight Osian who was dangerous. Both Martinez and Malina posed sufficient danger to Red Eternity.
Meanwhile, Martinez shouted to Basilio.
"Run away!"
Martinez knew that even if they fought Red Eternity here, they would be defeated. Even if they fought desperately, dragging out time would be all they could do.
So at least during the time they bought, they had to get Basilio away from here. Basilio, whose reason had barely returned due to Red Eternity's whispers lessening, shook his head, saying it was useless.
"Even if I run away from this space, I'll be caught up to quickly."
"Then are you just going to sit still and let yourself be taken? That monster is targeting you."
"...That's right. It's targeting me. Then, I just need to disappear, don't I?"
Basilio tore at his clothes with his hands. Under the black gentleman's suit, a red core was visible beneath the bone of his exposed chest. It was the vessel of life that could be called a lich's nucleus.
Basilio pointed to his own heart and said to Martinez.
"Kill me. With the divine power you possess, it should be quite possible."
"Are you insane?"
"There's no other answer besides this."
Crack-crack-crack!
Meanwhile, Red Eternity was entering a power struggle with Malina. Malina was somehow trying to hold Red Eternity with chains, but the difference in strength was too great.
"Can't hold on much longer!"
Malina shouted as if coughing up blood.
"Hurry!"
Basilio shouted to Martinez.
"I'm a lich! I'm a target that you, a paladin, should kill and subjugate anyway!"
That's right. Basilio was a lich. And liches were designated as evil that went against the natural order by the Petra Papal Court. When encountered, they had to be killed regardless of reason. Martinez had been taught this way too.
But had the teachings he had received so far always been correct?
Martinez knew now too. True sin was not failing to carry out justice that should be done.
"No. I won't kill you. Even if you are a lich, at least the you that I've seen is definitely not a villain."
Making choices while being swayed by given situations, without even one's own will. That was the true sin.
Martinez decided to make judgments after seeing, hearing, and feeling for himself because that was truly the right thing to do. Sometimes he might make mistakes but that was fine because he wasn't perfect and was still a young lamb with much to learn.
So at least, making choices he would never regret in each moment. Martinez's refusal of Basilio's request was for such a reason.
"If you won't run away, then step back. Whatever happens, I'm going to fight against that thing."
"You, foolish bastard!"
Basilio instead tried to commit suicide by crushing his own core with his hands. Rather than having everything taken away by Red Eternity like this, it would be better to end it here.
It was the moment when Basilio was about to grasp his core with his hand and crush it. Someone suddenly embraced Basilio's arm.
"Stop."
"...Plimene."
"Please, stop. Julius."
Plimene grabbed Basilio's arm and pleaded earnestly. From her eyes looking up at him, tears flowed down.