"Heheheh… Finally, Svel will fall. I hope you're pleased, great Grimm King. Now, once again, one of the foolish heroes who dared to stand against you will disappear."
This grimmfolk woman, who was one of the Grimm King's loyal seven commanders given the title of the 'Seven Grimms of Destruction' by the Grimm King himself, was named Vernal, and she was currently chuckling to herself with a fascinating smile on her face.
After this battle, she would have taken down one of the Seven Maidens of Midgar and be able to present her great king with the human's head. Once that happened, she'd surpass the other six and be recognized as the king's aide.
It'd been one thousand years since the Age of Heroes… Almost all of the elites from back then had gone, and the upper ranks of the grimmfolk had been almost completely replaced.
The Seven Grimms of Destruction were also something that only formed due to that trend as a new rank of commander, but all of them lacked actual achievements. However, if Vernal were to win this fight, she'd have such an achievement under her belt and should be able to win the king's trust.
Back when Vernal tried to attack Svel herself, she got burned.
Putting Juvia aside, that guardian deity Levia was far too troublesome. It had a nearly bottomless amount of health due to it being made out of an entire huge lake, and it wasn't affected by physical attacks. On top of that, Juvia could heal it indefinitely.
Vernal had a lot of trouble finding a way to defeat it, but luck was on her side.
When Vernal found Fiona sitting here at the foot of the Gheil Volcano right by Svel, acting as if the soul just flew right out of her, she even thanked a goddess she didn't believe in for that wonderful chance meeting.
Vernal took months and years to convince Fiona, who was full of doubt and hesitation, drive her to madness, and blow up her desire for revenge. It was pretty hard to get her to attack Svel.
However, today, all that effort would pay off.
I'm about to use one of the Twelve Zodiac's Guardians, who once sided with humanity, to drive them further into despair… What a pleasant feeling!
Now show me, dumb sheep. Give me the despair and fear of humans.
"The only thing I'm worried about is that one in the orange cloak… Even though you'd let your guard down, that person still blew you away, Lady Fiona. They're no weakling…"
Vernal was thinking, Of course, if Fiona got serious she'd never lose to such a person.
However, if that person, Levia, and Juvia were to fight all at once, even Fiona would have a hard time. There was still the monster army, but it would be a hard sell to convince anyone that would close the gap .
"…I don't really like it, but in the worst case, I might have to join the battle myself."
Vernal crossed her arms and looked over at the crowds of monsters formed up past the castle.
The situation favors us.
As long as I don't let my guard down, we won't lose.
Vernal could just imagine Juvia's face twisted in despair. She could even almost see the jealous faces of the other Seven Grimms of Destruction.
The flow is coming our way. This is definitely the pattern where we win.
With that thought, Vernal smiled—And right after, a giant group of monsters was blown away all at once, and the smile froze on Vernal's face.
"…?! Wh-What the hell?!"
Leaning out of a window of the castle, Vernal stared out into the distance.
What the hell? What just happened? No way, did Juvia come out herself to attack?
Using the excellent vision given to all grimmfolk, Vernal focused on the monsters being blown away before her, and she saw it. A person wearing an orange mantle, walking this way.
"That's…!"
It was the uncertain element that punched away Fiona the other day.
Seeing the person stand against them once again, Vernal clenched her teeth, but she immediately turned around and thought that this was her chance at victory.
Yes, this is a chance. If we can eliminate that person now, that stops any chance of them teaming up with Juvia and Levia later.
In the worst case, it can just be me, Fiona, and a couple high level monsters who take down Svel.
So what's important is to go kill that orange mantle right now, no matter how many I have to sacrifice!
"Don't falter! It's just one person!"
The monsters howled in response to Vernal's encouragement, and they all charged at once at the single figure.
No matter how strong the person was, they were alone. There was no way to push back this many with quality alone, and it was impossible to control the battlefield with just a single unit.
However, Vernal's expectations were easily overturned.
In an instant, several hundreds—no, several thousands weapons of swords, axes, spears, and halberds, manifested around the figure, launching themselves all at once and blasting the monsters apart one after the other.
One hundred, two hundred, three hundred…
Monster corpses continued to pile up, but not even one got close. Five hundred, five hundred-fifty, six hundred…
Even now, nothing managed to close the distance. There was no sign of the enemy stopping their attack.
Seven hundred, eight hundred, nine hundred…
Vernal could see the army given to her by the Grimm King himself disappearing. They were being trampled.
"…W-What is that…?"
Way too strong.
That mysterious person is way too strong! It's as if one of the great warriors from one thousand years ago is right here! Like one of them came back from the dead.
Is it another one of the Seven Maidens of Midgar? No… the White Princess hates mana and wouldn't be anywhere near here, and the Rose Princess isn't the sort to suddenly help elves out.
It's not one of the Seven Maidens of Midgar… but what fearsome strength.
Vernal decided that, as it was, the monsters would only continue to die with nothing to show for it, so she made the army fall back.
In exchange, she went out to face the orange mantle herself.
"…A grimmfolk, huh?"
"That's right. And just what are you? I didn't think there was anyone left in this world that strong," Vernal said, readying a ring-shaped blade in each hand.
A blade of fire in her right. And a blade of lightning in her left. Stunt their movements with lightning, and burn them to death with fire.
"But, it's all over now that I'm here. Too bad, but your life is forfeit now that you've made enemies of the grimmfolk. You should curse your own foolishness that you came all the way out here with only your half-assed strength!"
Vernal ran.
The ability to put on an instant burst of speed thanks to her lightning blade's effect gave her the ability to move at the speed of a lightning, making it impossible to even see her.
Vernal ran while leaving several afterimages behind and, at the same time, she unleashed a ring of fire at her opponent to trap their movements with her fire attribute. That combo was the cornerstone of her invincibility, and up until now, there was only one person to ever break through it. It was a technique that would definitely bring victory if used. That was—
"Look closely in wonder! This is the secret technique of one of the Seven Grimms of Destruction, Vernal the Grimm of Fire! My Lightning-Flame Storm Hellfire Grimm Sword! These twin blades are my symbol! My limbs! And my secret art! Look at this blade of lightning in my left hand! Its blade can cut through all flesh, and its sharpness will cut through even your soul! Look at this fire blade in my right hand! The swordsmanship that comes from it won't let anyone escape! The sheer heat it emits turns everyone's hopes to ash! Now, with both blades combined, all my enemies are as trash! Now, look and be captured by my special technique! This is the strike of condemnation from a beautiful and sinister god of death that will take your life! Your freedom is stolen and your defenses shattered; I bet you can see your death coming. That is the death god of fire that mercilessly burns all! But there's nothing to grieve about. Your suffering will only be for a moment. That is my mercy. In fact, you'll probably be grateful to me at the moment of your death. You'll say, 'Ah, thank you for freeing me of this suffering!' Think of being struck down by me as the highest honor, and fall to eternal darkness! The lid of hell has been opened just for you! See it. Now is the time for your punishment! The feast of grimms; it's your life's curtain call! Inferno, my right! Thunder, my left! Let yourself be kindly embraced by the fires of dark—"
"You're annoying."
Vernal flew through the air in a flash.
She didn't even know what happened to her.
Unable to comprehend just what kind of attack she took, the only thing Vernal understood was, "I was attacked with incredible power."
"…N-No no… way…"
Blood spilled out of her mouth onto the ground.
Just what happened? Just who is that, to do this to one of the Seven Grimms of Destruction with just one hit…? No, it wasn't just one!
That was when Vernal finally realized. Out of all the over one thousand monsters that jumped at the orange mantle and were blown away, not a single one was dead! They were unconscious, but every single one of them was fine.
That meant that this person had enough leeway to go easy on this many opponents. Strong enough to not kill them, but to instead purposefully miss their weak points with blunted weapons and just blow them away!
"Wh-What the hell… are you…"
As if to answer her question, black wings ran through her vision at that exact moment.
There was a single powerfully clenched fist that appeared from within the cloak. And, as a result of her arm moving, a pair of large, pitch-black wings spread out. Long shining golden hair that resembled tails of a majestic bird. Ice-like blue eyes that freeze. She was far too beautiful to be the god of death that killed her and too lovely to be called the Black Angel of Death.
That form was unmistakably…
"…L-Lunaru Fenris…?!"
The Black Angel of Death, the only one that ever scared the Grimm King away from completing his conquest. Vernal finally realized that she had challenged an opponent she should never have challenged.