Chapter 82 – Fungus Demon King Subjugation Battle

The forces gathered at the church rushed toward the spot where the Fungus Demon King had halted, following the cry of the next Pope, Beatus Bright.

Knights and Heroes, excluding the Pope and Saintess who were tasked with maintaining the Sanctuary, stepped forward.

“Hero Andrei transmitting. Heroes participating in the Demon King Subjugation quest, follow me!”

Andrei, who had received a quest document made of Divine power from the pillar of light that was fading after the Nephilim disappeared, shouted with his Gold Plate held close to his mouth.

—…Follow me.

Then, the exact same message flowed out a moment later from within Duren’s embrace.

To be precise, the sound came from Duren’s Iron Plate.

Perhaps Andrei heard it too, as his gaze turned toward Duren.

“What’s that, was that old man on your side a Hero too? What’s his rank?”

“Hold on, I’ll check and let you know.”

Duren rummaged through his clothes and pulled out his Iron Plate.

But what he held in his hand was no longer an Iron Plate.

The moment they arrived at the Holy Land, the quest received from Ten’s Spirit Domain was judged as completed, and the allocated Quest Points were settled as a reward.

Chara-ralak—

The numbers indicating his Hero rank decreased in real-time.

The Iron Plate changed to a Copper Plate, and the Copper Plate changed again to a Silver Plate.

The final rank that appeared was 987th.

“……?”

“Oh? He jumped from Iron Plate to Silver Plate in one go?”

It seemed Andrei was also seeing such a situation for the first time, as he used his Gold Plate’s authority to access Duren’s information.

After all, the very fact that Duren’s Hero’s Plate had changed now was because from Gold Plate onward, it served as a branch of the Golden Holy War.

Currently, Duren was essentially under Andrei’s command.

“Escort quest to the Holy Land… linked with the Pilgrim Knight Order Rescue quest, and he earned a hefty amount of Adventure Points in the process? Ah, this is enough to rise to Silver Plate.”

“…So that’s what happened.”

Only then could Duren understand the grade change of his Hero’s Plate.

The quest received from Ten’s Spirit Domain alone would have had a limit of reaching Copper Plate, so he had been bewildered by suddenly becoming Silver Plate.

If the rescue operation was judged as a quest, then becoming Silver Plate made sense.

“Anyway, if you’re a Hero too, you’ll naturally join the subjugation, right?”

“Of course.”

The two Heroes, instantly united in spirit, took the lead and rushed toward the location of the Fungus Demon King.

“Let’s go too.”

“No need for formalities, Captain. Just give the order and we will follow.”

“…Right. Pilgrim Knight Order! Advance!”

Following them, the Pilgrim Knight Order led by Dice also trailed behind the two Heroes.

Moreover, during the movement, Silver Plate-grade and above Heroes from the Holy Land who heard Andrei’s message joined them one by two.

By the time they finally arrived at the Fungus Demon King’s location, the number of gathered Heroes and Knights was just over thirty.

Excluding Andrei, they were all at the 5-Star level, but those who had risen to 6-Star grade due to the Blessing.

—The hosts have come to me on their own!

As they gathered and approached, the Fungus Demon King, on the contrary, rejoiced and spread its will of exultation.

—Polarity Reversal. 《Exuviation Fission》.

Jjeok— Tung!

The First Polarity Reversal unfolded.

It was the reversed ability of the First Awakening Skill <Erosion Assimilation>.

The mushroom cap of the Fungus Demon King, wedged at the boundary of the Sanctuary, split open, and from inside, a smaller Fungus Demon King popped out like a matryoshka doll.

And not just once, but multiple times.

Tududududung!

The Fungus Demon King, having reached 8-Star, was an entity that had obtained three Polarity Reversals, so it was expected it would use Polarity Reversal.

But who would have thought it would be a fission ability.

“Be careful! The split ones aren’t bound by the Sanctuary!”

Andrei immediately grasped the state of the small Fungus Demon Kings and shouted.

Leaving all the negative effects like binding and pressure given by the Sanctuary on the original main body, the clones had gained freedom.

In that state, the Fungus Demon King’s Second Polarity Reversal unfolded.

—Polarity Reversal. 《Individual Projection》.

It was the reversal of the Second Awakening Skill <Colonization>.

The Fungus Demon King’s clones, each at the 6-Star grade, began to transform into different forms with their own unique characteristics.

Fire salamander, lightning hawk, darkness jaguar, wind falcon, cloud whale…

They were the forms of the 6-Star grade Territory Lords that the Fungus Demon King had devoured through Erosion Assimilation.

Semi-Spirits capable of elementalization continued to increase one after another.

It wasn’t just overlaying the forms; it seemed the very nature changed as if the intellect of the previously existing Territory Lords had been revived.

The sense of time felt from their profound gazes exuded an atmosphere akin to seasoned veterans.

“Ah, so it has come to this in the end.”

“Though we were ultimately devoured by the Fungus Demon King, this too is a form of life.”

“I don’t like moving according to the Fungus Demon King’s will, but I dislike ending like this even more.”

“So this is the land of light. I never thought I’d set foot here only after death. The sentiment is truly novel.”

“Since we’re dead anyway, killing humans wouldn’t be so bad either.”

Spirit Beasts with intellect quickly grasped the situation and, following the Fungus Demon King’s will, became hostile toward the humans.

They were opponents not easy for the Pilgrim Knights or Silver Plate Heroes, who were originally 5-Star and only rose to 6-Star due to the Blessing, even if they were the same 6-Star grade.

Sensing they were being overwhelmed in momentum, Andrei revealed his Grade to overturn the atmosphere.

Paaaat!

Originally 6-Star, he had risen to 7-Star through the Sanctuary’s Blessing.

Thus, he could unleash his Vocation Awakening Skill, the Sixth Awakening Skill, without sacrificing his life.

“Celestial Body Transformation.”

It is said that the celestial giants who serve the Golden Constellation possess bodies made of celestial bodies that can survive even in space, transcending earthly flesh.

Andrei’s body, transforming into a celestial body, also called a Stellar Body, made of stars.

Ddeuddeuddeuddeuddeu!

Andrei, who had grown to a size similar to the Nephilim the Pope had summoned, looked down upon the Fungus Demon King from above.

“Fall back.”

At Andrei’s warning, the gathered Heroes and Knights panicked and retreated backward.

Immediately after, Andrei’s giant foot rose into the air.

…Kung!

The clones of the Fungus Demon King were crushed under the foot that stomped down.

The overwhelming physical force had the power to even shatter a Primal Spirit God, but the enemies were not to be underestimated either.

Puhahahahak!

As if they didn’t care since they were going to die anyway, all the clones unleashed their Vocation Awakening Skills and transformed into Elementals of their respective unique attributes.

Flame, lightning, darkness, wind, cloud… the essences of various attributes erupted from under Andrei’s foot and coiled around his leg.

“That tickles!”

Andrei remained composed even amidst the explosion of attributes that would vaporize an ordinary human.

Thanks to his First Awakening Skill <Ironclad Treasure Body>, which had become a Skill, his physical body was already akin to a Treasure Vessel.

Moreover, his Second Awakening Skill <Indestructible Diamond> had greatly amplified that defensive power.

Kungkungkungkungkungkungkung!

Basing himself on overwhelming durability, Andrei stomped his feet and crushed all the Fungus Demon King clones that had turned into Elementals.

If the ground hadn’t been reinforced by the Sanctuary, it wouldn’t have been strange for the entire area’s foundation to be overturned.

—That body. I covet it!

But even as all the clones burst apart, the Fungus Demon King was only delighted.

It seemed to have realized that Andrei, who had undergone Celestial Body Transformation, was a more suitable host than Hanna.

Puhahahahak!

Instead of the clones that periodically popped out due to the effect of Exuviation Fission, a torrent of Starlight Spores erupted from the cap.

No, each spore was a small clone.

Knowing that raising the clone’s level wouldn’t make them a match for Andrei anyway, it lowered the level and drastically increased the number.

Hwoong! Hwoong!

On the contrary, lowering the level reduced the number of clones hit by Andrei’s attacks.

The gap became too large for direct hits to land.

The clones merely scattered in the wind pressure and clung to various parts of Andrei’s body.

Fungus Demon King Fifth Awakening Skill 《Soul Erosion》.

The Fungus Demon King’s Awakening Skill, which allowed it to erode even beings of 5-Star and above, dug into Andrei’s celestial body.

Of course, the giant’s resistance was fighting against the erosion, but against the erosion the Fungus Demon King attempted by literally consuming its clones, holes were inevitably being pierced little by little.

In the face of life-risking erosion, even the protection granted by the Sanctuary was as thin as plastic wrap.

No, perhaps the problem was that the protective power was dispersed due to the giant’s size.

“How dare you!”

Biiiiii—!

Andrei’s skin turned red, and hot steam erupted from his pores.

His Third Awakening Skill 《Berserk》 had activated.

Pabababababak!

With movements made even faster by Berserk, he roughly shook his body.

More than half of the spores clinging to his body flew off.

But the response was too late.

Fungus Demon King Sixth Awakening Skill 《Fungus Demon Sowing》.

The seeds of the fungus demon had already dug into Andrei’s body.

His right leg, fatigued from dealing with the 6-Star grade clones earlier, was pierced.

—Polarity Reversal. 《Regeneration Rampage》.

A regeneration close to rampage, reversed from the Third Awakening Skill <Rapid Growth>, eroded Andrei’s right leg.

Ggulleongggulleongggulleongggulleong—

The area under the skin bulged and swelled as the celestial body became nourishment for the Fungus Demon King and mycelium bodies replaced its place.

The fungus demon’s erosion quickly passed the knee and rose to the thigh.

Judging that he would be reduced to the Fungus Demon King’s host if this continued, Andrei made a decision.

“Cut off my leg!”

He shouted, hoping any ally would follow his will.

In response, only Dice and Duren moved immediately.

“Zhucheon Star Track. Single Flash.”

“Hundred Swords Thunderfall.”

The enhancement of Zhucheon Star Track, which already made basic slashes possess Single Flash-level power, applied to a real Single Flash, unleashing a mythical slash.

And the Ultimate Technique of the Tenfold Lightning Sword Art, which had glimpsed Authority but was limited to myth, was unleashed.

Daenggang— Kurururureung!

As soon as the area above the thigh, not yet eroded, was cleanly severed, a river of lightning containing various Sword Principles swept over the severed leg.

Chijijijijijik!

Within the lightning, wounds—slashed, torn, crushed, and pierced—continuously appeared on the leg.

But the speed of regeneration was faster than the speed at which wounds were created.

Ggulleongggulleongggulleongggulleong—

The fungus demon, having completed erosion up to the cross-section of the severed leg, was regenerating from the cross-section back to the remaining body parts.

Buttocks and the other leg sprouted, forming the lower body.

As the regenerated parts grew, the regenerative power became faster and faster. When the upper body and head were perfectly restored to Andrei’s appearance, the gathered Knights made disgusted expressions.

The only consolation was that, thanks to the Sanctuary’s regeneration effect, the real Andrei had also regenerated his severed leg.

“Hehehe. Truly a satisfying body.”

“Don’t make that expression with my face. It’s creepy.”

The two identical giants, like twins, looked at each other.

Pueok!

Immediately after, without any precedence, each other’s fists struck the other’s face simultaneously.

Since the Fungus Demon King side could erode upon impact, if they had the same body, the Fungus Demon King was in a more advantageous situation.

Seokeok— Kurureung!

But Andrei was not alone.

The area where the fungus demon had dug in was severed by Single Flash, and Ten Thousand Swords Thunderfall annihilated the fungus demon’s seeds that hadn’t yet grown.

In response, Andrei grinned and relentlessly went on the offensive.

“I leave the erosion to you!”

Peobeobeobeobeok!

Whenever Andrei took a hit in the giants’ brawl, Duren and Dice handled the erosion.

And not just those two.

The Heroes and Pilgrim Knight Order gathered here also unreservedly unleashed their myth-grade Fifth Awakening Skills to handle the erosion.

Since minor wounds were quickly recovered by the Sanctuary’s healing and regeneration effects, responding immediately meant there was virtually no damage.

“Good, if we keep going like this, we can win.”

“The Fungus Demon King side doesn’t receive the Sanctuary’s effects, so if we drag this into a prolonged battle, we’ll ultimately win.”

No matter how much it kept regenerating due to Regeneration Rampage, it couldn’t regenerate infinitely.

On the other hand, thanks to the Sanctuary’s support, the humans could regenerate infinitely, so from the moment the battlefield became inside the Sanctuary, victory was essentially leaning toward the human side.

But that was when it happened.

Andrei Fifth Awakening Skill 《Miraculous Revival》.

The Fungus Demon King side activated Andrei’s Awakening Skill.

It was an ability that transferred current wounds to the future while restoring the state to perfect condition.

“Even if it does that, it would only buy time, wouldn’t it?”

Heroes who knew the true nature of Miraculous Revival muttered in puzzlement.

But the Fungus Demon King hadn’t used Miraculous Revival without knowing that.

“Exuviation Fission.”

Jjeok— Tung!

The back of the giant Fungus Demon King split open, and a slightly smaller clone popped out from there.

Immediately after, the burden transferred to the future returned to the original giant, and the celestial body turned to dust and vanished.

If it turned to dust in an instant, it meant the power remaining in the main body after the clone exited was almost depleted.

The Fungus Demon King made the clone its new main body, regenerated its body, and restored its size to match the original Andrei.

“……!”

In that way, it could recover its power without actually bearing the cost that would come in the future.

Ultimately, to kill the Fungus Demon King, that cycle had to be broken.

Everyone knew that fact, but the method was daunting.

“How can we kill it?”

“Accumulating damage is impossible because of Miraculous Revival.”

“…Overwhelming Power is needed. An instant-kill attack powerful enough to pierce through Regeneration Rampage and render Miraculous Revival impossible.”

The first thing that came to mind was the Hundred Blossoms Sword Strike shown by the Nephilim.

Or an unrestricted Ten Thousand Swords Thunderfall.

Without that level of power, killing the Fungus Demon King was impossible.

But at that moment when everyone was pondering in despair.

…Ting. Tidididing.

A change occurred in the Sanctuary.

“The fungus demon’s erosion is being blocked on its own?”

A new Miracle specialized in blocking the Fungus Demon King’s erosion had been added.

It was the Miracle unleashed by Beatus, who had remained at the church.