Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Chapter 313

The air that had been filled with hope and vitality suddenly turned heavy and oppressive, cloaked in an unsettling silence.

Everyone was struck speechless, their gazes fixed solely on the approaching monstrosities.

Each of the massive creatures stood at least five meters tall, their grotesque forms embodying death itself.

It was as if the faces of the Nagas embedded in the Chimeras' bodies were screaming:

Your turn is next.

"Fall back from the front lines!"

Just as panic was about to set in among the warriors, Terepun infused his voice with mana and unleashed a thunderous roar.

The sound of the Naga warriors’ song reverberated faintly, enough to help them regain a semblance of composure.

So they’ve finally created such abominations... Those cursed bastards!

Watching the horrifying scene, Terepun’s rage boiled over.

Blood-tears streamed from his eyes, and his body burned as if ready to charge forward.

But he restrained himself.

I must endure... I have to hold on no matter what.

For the sake of the Naga, Terepun suppressed his anger.

If he faltered now, the Naga would be entirely doomed.

For now, he focused on pulling the front line back and strategizing how to confront these monstrosities.

ROOOOOAR!

All five giant Chimeras roared in unison.

It was as if the roar itself was cursed, silencing every thought and freezing all in place.

"C-Chieftain…"

Hoil reached out with trembling hands, clutching Terepun's arm.

His eyes were vacant, reflecting the terror consuming him.

Only Terepun, driven by the singular desire to save even one more Naga, managed to hold onto his sanity.

Crack!

Terepun bit his lip so hard it bled.

Pain jolted him back to his senses, and strength returned to his voice.

"Do not falter! Do not bow to fear! Stand tall, proud Nagas! Fight back against the enemy!"

Terepun’s roar reverberated through the battlefield, cutting through the fog of despair.

The warriors, previously lost in fear, began to recover their resolve.

They too understood: the fate of the Naga rested in their hands.

Strength returned to their grips as they tightened their hold on their weapons.

"Form a defensive line! Move quickly!"

At Terepun’s command, the front line reassembled.

Though their morale had been shaken, a deeper resolve now burned within them.

Then it happened.

GUOOO!

One of the massive Chimeras raised its colossal arm, extending a clawed hand forward.

Terepun’s eyes widened.

What is that...? No—this is bad!

A swirling black wave began forming in the Chimera’s hand, condensing rapidly.

It radiated death itself, an overwhelming and palpable sense of doom.

"Everyone, take cover! Now!"

Terepun shouted urgently, but the formation was too entrenched to move in time.

So, Terepun leapt forward.

"Keh-heh-heh! KHAHAHAHAHA!"

As Nazariou erupted into manic laughter, the Chimera unleashed the black wave.

Terepun poured mana into his trident, its blue glow intensifying until it shone brilliantly.

The trident released a concentrated beam of blue light, colliding with the oncoming black wave.

RUMBLE!

The clash of overwhelming forces generated a deafening friction, the blue light trembling violently as it struggled to hold its ground.

"Ugh… AAAARGH!"

Terepun roared defiantly, pouring every ounce of his strength into resisting the black wave.

But the fragile beam finally broke, and Terepun’s vision darkened.

Forgive me…

BOOOOOOOM!

A massive explosion rocked the battlefield as the ground erupted, sending debris and dust high into the air.

"AAARGH!"
"My leg! My leg is gone!"
"Help me! Please!"

Cries of agony and despair filled the forest. The once-heard songs of the Nagas fell silent, replaced by a cacophony of screams.

What remained was pure, unfiltered despair.

Bodies lay scattered, torn and dismembered, forming pools of blood that stained the forest floor.

Nazariou watched the carnage with a twisted smile, satisfied with the devastation.

But as he turned his gaze upward, his expression darkened.

***

Umbra was still fiercely struggling to penetrate the Mage Tower's Absolute Defense.

That struggle made one thing clear.

It's not enough.

The Absolute Defense—so named not by its creators, but by those who had encountered it—lived up to its reputation.

Who would have guessed that even a dragon's breath wouldn’t be enough to break it?

They must have truly committed everything to this.

The Mage Tower’s determination to make this plan succeed was evident.

"I'll go."

The honeycomb-like structure of the defense was visibly warped from the breath attack.

If another strike of similar magnitude landed, it was clear the barrier would shatter.

This was the perfect opportunity.

Theo crouched low, his body taut like a drawn bowstring, ready to spring.

"Well, Umbra has certainly sped things up for us."

Lodbrok grinned and extended both hands.

Four magic circles emerged, swelling rapidly in size.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Pillars of light shot out from the corners of the quadrilateral, crashing into the barrier with explosive force.

Simultaneously, Theo launched himself forward like a black meteor.

Twisting his body mid-air to maximize the force of his slash, he moved with precision.

Tick-tick-tick-tick—

The ticking of a clock echoed.

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

The relentless thrum of the Triple Core operating at full capacity reverberated through him.

Fixated on breaking the barrier in one decisive strike, Theo reached for the perfect sense of timing he had once known—and then pushed it even further.

With the Triple Core driving him, he channeled every ounce of his strength into the strike.

Finally, his blade connected with the barrier.

Crackle! Sizzle!

The Absolute Defense, already battered by Umbra's breath, screamed under the weight of Theo's slash.

Cracks spider-webbed across its surface, and light seeped through the fractures.

With one final surge of power—

KRAAACK!

The enormous honeycomb barrier that had enveloped the Naga forest disintegrated, vanishing like mist under the force of Theo's strike.

At last, Theo had entered the Naga forest.

Squelch.

A sickening sensation seeped through Theo’s boots.

The air was heavy, sticky, and rank with an acrid stench.

Looking down, Theo’s eyes widened with fury, his pupils trembling.

Is this… blood?

It wasn’t just the color; the overwhelming stench of iron and decay permeated everything, stabbing into his senses.

All around him, the ground was soaked.

Red.

The landscape was entirely red, darkened in some places where the blood had dried and congealed.

Body parts littered the area, fragmented and unrecognizable.

And worse—

?So many lost souls… what a tragedy.?
?Not even the worst of battlefields I’ve seen were this horrific. Humans wearing the guise of decency doing such things!?
?They must truly not fear divine retribution!?
?I’ve had enough! I’m not staying here any longer. This place disgusts me!?

The spirits residing in the Spirit Sword were reacting violently, their presence clearer than ever due to the proximity to death itself.

Theo’s expression darkened as he fixed his gaze forward.

He could feel it—something was there.

"Fire."

As soon as Theo sensed the movement, flashes of light emerged from the shadows of the forest and rained down on him.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Explosions rang out as clouds of dust and debris rose, obscuring the area.

The bombardment didn’t let up, pouring down relentlessly as if to erase even a trace of his existence.

When the dust finally began to settle, silence hung in the air.

The Six-Pointed Stars peered cautiously into the hazy aftermath.

That’s when two eerie, blood-red eyes glowed from within the cloud.

"Shoot! Keep firing!"

Kiyel, stationed to guard the swamp, shouted orders frantically, his voice laced with panic.

The attacks resumed immediately, a ceaseless barrage of spells.

But—

Schlk.

Kiyel suddenly felt a sharp, burning pain in his chest.

Looking down, he saw a blade protruding from him, its cold steel soaked in his blood.

"Cough… h-how…?"

Blood spewed from his mouth as Kiyel struggled to comprehend what had happened.

Only one thought circled his mind: Why?

Then, a chilling voice pierced through his foggy consciousness, as cold as death itself.

"Where is Nazariou Monte?"

The words sliced through Kiyel’s thoughts like a blade.

"W-why would I ever—"

Before he could finish, the sword was withdrawn in one swift motion, and blood sprayed from the gaping wound in his chest.

"If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. Next."

With a thud, Kiyel’s lifeless body collapsed to the ground.

Theo’s gaze shifted to the remaining Six-Pointed Stars hovering in the forest’s shadows.

"H-How can he see us… from that far away…?"
"Pull yourself together! We have to buy time for Lord Nazariou!"

Despite their fear, the Six-Pointed Stars’ loyalty to Nazariou held firm.

But Theo was unfazed.

"You’re all irrelevant. I’ll find him myself."

Theo’s form disappeared into the shadows of the forest. Moments later, screams erupted from its depths.

"Sanctum! He’s headed for the Sanctum! Please, spare me!"

Some screamed out information in desperation, hoping for mercy.

Theo’s cold response was unrelenting.

"You’re a bit late for that, don’t you think?"

No pity. No hesitation.

"You’re ruthless, aren’t you?"

Lodbrok floated just above the ground, unwilling to step on the desecrated soil. Umbra had transformed into a small, bird-like form, perched beside her, its eyes sharp with anger.

"You can stay outside, Lodbrok. There’s nothing here but filth to stain your sight. Especially up ahead."

Theo’s frigid gaze swept toward the forest’s interior, where a once-beautiful landscape had turned into a vision of hell.

"It’s fine. This, too, is humanity’s doing. I’m curious to see how far they’ll sink."

Lodbrok landed softly, her feet touching the blood-soaked ground.

Umbra darted into Theo’s shadow, seemingly unwilling to linger in the tainted forest.

"Then I’ll move ahead quickly. Follow at your own pace."

Theo shot forward, his legs propelling him with raw, focused energy.

Watching him disappear, Lodbrok let out a bitter chuckle.

"I’ve never seen him this furious before."

Under different circumstances, she might have found it entertaining.

"Rest in peace, pitiful souls. I swear upon my name, Lodbrok, this place will be cleansed."

Raising her hand gently, Lodbrok caressed the lingering spirits hovering in the air.

A brilliant golden light radiated from her, holy and radiant, comforting the restless souls trapped in the hellscape.