I Got Reincarnated Into a Game I Was a Top-Ranker in and I Became the Leader of a Villain Group That Will Destroy This Shitty Country - 101

Chapter 101: The Truth of the Holy Sword

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

“…Huh?”

She looked around. Ghosts, ghosts, ghosts. The floating specters’ hands were closing in on the man in front of me one after another. And the man standing at the center  of it was―

“Ugh… Ah!?”

It was the blonde, cheerful young hero, Kaltz. He wasn’t in his ghoul form. He looked like his human self when he was still alive. And for some reason, Nia found herself in a completely different space from reality.

Where… Where am I…?

“You too… You too… You’re like us…”

“Let us bestow the light of salvation to you… Come hither….”

“Ugh… Uwaghhh?!?!?!What’s going on?? Wha-what is this!?”

“…”

In the murky, purple-hued space, Nia pondered the same thing while watching Kaltz struggling in vain. The magic power floating in the air had the same nature as her own. Which meant, this was the magic of someone she cherished so much. This was the scent of Kai’s magic. 

“That sword… That sword is not just a normal holy sword. Sure, the sword is filled with holy magic, but that sword also started absorbing black magic when I tried to infuse it with my magic power.”

…In that case, then this space was also artificially created by the holy sword itself? But… For a space created by the holy sword… This space was too gruesome. Too wicked. The scene Nia saw before her was downright grotesque. Ghosts with their eyes gouged out. Their mouths drooling with glowing saliva and how obsessed they were with their prey and also… All of them were wearing different kinds of clothes. Some were wearing the same outfit as the nuns from the teacher, while others were clad in armor favored by the holy knights and… One woman in particular had her clothes torn in pieces, exposing most of her body. She resembled the women who had been violated by the Pope and the other despicable man of the church in the underground prison. Dozens of malicious spirits converged on Kaltz, tormenting him.

“…Everything… WAS TAKEN FROM ME!!”

“Even in death… I was still being sucked dry…. Even in death….”

“Unforgivable… Unforgiveable… And you too… You will join us too…”

The ghosts seemed to have deep resentment toward Kaltz. Nia watched them closely, examining the countless wounds etched into their bodies and the fragments of holy power leaking from them. She also noticed the cross on their bodies, broken and turned upside down. 

“…I see.”

In spite of having so many holy power in them, these souls had been betrayed by the church. They had been violated thoroughly and ended up trapped here. This must be the truth f the holy sword. The reason why the holy sword was overflowing with holy magic was because the holy magic from these countless souls were trapped inside the sword. 

“You have the qualifications…. But, well, you were pretty dull to say the least.”

“The obsession for revenge… The madness that doesn’t fade even in death… You’re the same as us…”

“Let’s get our revenge… On that detestable hero and the whole nation who imprisoned us here….”

“This time, let’s not be pawns anymore… Let’s be comrades… Our comrades…”

“What… What are you saying!! I’m the hero, me!! I AM THE HERO!!!”

The ghosts had their hands on Kaltz and Kaltz’s scream fell on deaf ears. More and more ghosts came swarming, burying Kaltz within the crowd. Nia didn’t do anything. She just watched the scene unfolding before her. 

“…You?”

“…That person. The one with purple power.”

“Ah… The one with that pleasant power…”

“…Are you also one of us?”

“No.”

Nia shook her head and slowly brought her hands together. The gazes of the souls trapped and wandering within the holy sword were all on Nia. Well, their eyes were already gouged out though. Trickles of light particles spilled from their bodies, almost like blood. Regardless, Nia had no other choice. Her main goal was to kill Kaltz. And the cursed power Kai had planted inside the sword was… Necromancy. 

“Trapped souls… Souls without a place to go…”

A technique that manipulates the souls of the dead to exhaust the opponent’s lifespan.

“…Kill the hero before you.”

Nia’s eyes glowed red and at the same time, large eyes began popping open one after another within the walls of the purple mist space. The empty socket eyes of the trapped souls also began to glow in red. 

“Guh… Ahh….”

“Ga… Gagagagaga….”

“Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

“…”

Maybe Kai had predicted this outcome. He already had a suspicion the holy sword had a will of its own. When Kai saw the holy sword abandoned Kaltz at the time of his death, Kai came to the conclusion that the holy sword must have a mind of its own. Therefore, Kai cast a curse similar to necromancy. This curse bore a similar nature to mind manipulation magic. He was trying to kill Kaltz down to his soul. 

“UGH-?! A-ARGHHH!!!”

“…”

And thus, the execution started. Crushed under the feet of dozens of ghosts. Stabbed by the swords from the tormented crusaders. Struck on the head with the corner of the holy bible. No blood was spilling from him. No wound was etched on his skin and yet, his soul still experienced the pain. The pain was real. Kaltz’s soul was dying. 

“W-why…!! Why only me…!!”

“…”

“Gaaaahhh!! You’re the demons!! You’re the demons!! So why….! Why is it that I…!! I’m the hero…!!”

“A hero is not something decided by others.”

The souls swarmed on Kaltz and after several minutes, the violence ceased. Nia approached Kaltz, who was now gasping for breath. 

“The qualifications to be a hero is something you need to earn by yourself. They are not something given by someone else.”

“Ah… Guhh…”

“You are not a courageous hero. You are just an ordinary person with good fortune. That’s why you always put your personal emotions before everything else.”

Kaltz’s soul laid silently. His soul could only emit faint light. He was groaning, dying. He couldn’t even move a finger anymore. His soul was on the brink of extinction. 

“I will set you free now.”

Dozens of souls gathered around Nia. These were the pitiful souls who had been shackled to the holy sword unjustly. It was time to end everything. 

“Goodbye, Kaltz.”

With her hands placed together, Nia closed her eyes. Soon, the purple mist began to dissipate. Cracks started appearing in the eyes on the walls and then, the voices of her companions could be heard echoing from the distance. Alwyn, Brien, Chloe, her friends were calling out to her. 

“This is the end of the illusion.”

With her eyes still closed, Nia clapped her hands. The purple space shattered like glass and Nia’s vision was enveloped by bright light.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー