SSS-Class Revival Hunter

Chapter 115: The Black Marriage (1)

“Dear Lord, please help me.”

A girl prayed, and she was answered.

“Dear Lord, please help us.”

Because that happened, a boy who had been by the girl’s side as her butler and childhood friend, offered a prayer as well. That, too, was answered.

***

“We first need to change the seating arrangement,” Raviel whispered. “Now that we know where the apostles appear, we can place the special force and the knights there.”

While preparing for the wedding, I learned that the bride and groom had enormous power. We could make our wedding guests sit wherever we wished. If we wanted to, it was even possible to have two enemy nobles sit at the same table. Of course, our reputation would be ruined and people would badmouth us, but was that really a big deal? Our priority at the moment was to destroy the apostles of the Constellations from different worlds.

If I could duplicate blessings too, things would have been much easier...

Unfortunately, my Skill, I Want To Be Like You, couldn’t be used to copy the blessing Goldencup was under.

—Zombie, I told you. The Tower is very strict in strange ways, the Guardian said. He seemed downright excited that I couldn’t weasel out of this fight. You’re also under multiple blessings right now. The one from the God of Beauty, and another one from the God of Serpent. You had blessings while fighting Preta too.

Yes, those blessings are treated separately from my Skills.

—Yeah, these blessings from Constellations are technically buffs given using their Skills. That’s just how it works, so what can you do about it? Well, if you have a problem with it, you could go attack the Constellation that gave her the buff and get killed by the Constellation.

Alright, alright, I grumbled. Seriously.

Using a word like “buffs” made it sound like some kind of computer game, but I had to face reality, not a game.

The Inquisitor brought my focus back to that raw reality.

“If there’s an apostle who’s good at psychological attacks, the number of wedding guests should be reduced even further than it is now, especially if the apostle’s blessed ability is to recreate their happiest memory!”

The candle flame crackled and illuminated the Inquisitor’s face.

The Inquisitor, Raviel, and I were gathered in Raviel’s dressing room, which was now our secret meeting room, and put our heads together. A layout of the wedding venue and the list of guests were placed on the table.

“The deadliest poison in the world never makes people hurt. It makes them happy! Not many people can escape the Immortal Happiness Preacher’s poison of happiness!”

“... The problem is this.” Raviel touched the guest list with her long finger. “The smaller the number of guests is, the more difficult it becomes to deal with the Eternal Plains Warhorse. This apostle summons an army of ten thousand people. More guests means more people will be subject to the psychological attacks, but we’ll be helplessly outnumbered if we reduce our numbers.”

“Hmm, that’s a valid point. This is difficult...”

Raviel and the Inquisitor were lost in thought while the candle slowly burned out.

“Please leave that to me,” I said.

They both turned to look at me.

“Do you have any good ideas, Mr. Death King?”

“Yes.” I nodded.

As I explained my plan, Raviel and the Inquisitor’s expressions changed. @@novelbin@@

“... I see.” Raviel had a look of admiration on her face. “My consort has a lot of connections. If we formulate a strategy based on your plan, we shouldn’t have any problems.”

Just as I had no pretenses in my respect for her, Raviel didn’t hesitate to praise me. Though I was a little embarrassed.

“But there is a condition.”

“What is it?”

“Please allow me to wear black clothes too, Raviel.”

Raviel pursed her lip. In the empire, only those who would become the head of their family could wear black clothes on their wedding day. It wasn’t a color that I, the duke consort, could wear, but I had to.

“It’s not because I want to become the head of the family, it’s just that...”

“No, you don’t have to explain. I have known since my past life that my consort isn’t greedy for political power.” Raviel shook her head. “I was just concerned about the traditions of the empire, but they shouldn’t be the reason I ignore my consort’s wishes. I’ll prepare the clothes myself.”

“Thank you.”

The three of us met each other’s eyes and nodded. It was just a coincidence, but the candle on the table swayed at the exact same moment.

We were ready.

***

The fateful evening arrived, and the nobles, some of whom were considered the most powerful in the empire, began to arrive at the wedding venue.

It had been around a month since the marriage was announced. Although it had all happened so fast, no noble was bold enough to refuse an invitation to the Ivansias’ wedding. No matter how much they badmouthed Raviel behind her back, they had to smile in front of her.

Might made right.

“The wedding’s seating arrangement seems strange,” the old gentleman, the imperial chief steward and my foster father, mentioned in the groom’s dressing room.

Even the nobles were obviously confused when they entered the wedding venue. They could understand it being an outdoor wedding, rather than being held in a temple, since the union between a noble and a commoner wasn’t well received.

“Why have you gathered all of the knights and combatants in one place? Besides, this arrangement... Pardon me, but it seems like you and Her Grace are expecting a battle. People who can fight are placed at the front, and ordinary nobles are assigned seats at the rear.”

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” I responded naturally as servants bustled around me, dressing me up.

Stroking his beard, the old gentleman gently laughed. “Please pardon my rudeness. But it looks like you placed all of the useful pawns at the front and put the bothersome burdens aside.”

“I’m sure my duke has her reasons.”

“And you also have a sword on your belt.”

“Yes, I enjoy practicing martial arts. I’m about to be the moon of Ivansia, I shouldn’t look weak. And besides, a gang of thugs may appear and cause trouble at the wedding, so I have to be fully prepared.”

“I see. A contingency...” The old gentleman smiled bitterly. “I understand. Then, I will tell that to the colleagues who came with me. Haha, I can’t believe that this is why Her Grace chose me to be your foster father...”

He bowed and left the dressing room, probably to tell his subordinates to prepare for battle.

So far, it was going as planned.

The more people who could remain calm in an unexpected situation, the better.

Raviel was already moving her people in the shadows.

—There are those who harbor grievances about the marriage, so they’re going to launch a terror attack at the wedding.

The groundless rumor spread quickly but quietly. Not everyone would believe the rumors, but nobles were beasts at heart; planting an alert in the back of their minds was guaranteed to be effective.

“Aaaahhhh!”

I saw the results sooner than I expected.

They’re here. I shook off the servants and ran out of the dressing room.

The voice that only the Inquisitor and I could hear in this world rang out.

[The apostle of the Ruin-Harvesting Cow has appeared.]

[The apostle of the Eternal Plains Warhorse has appeared.]

[The apostles of the Immortal Happiness Preacher have appeared.]

The same sunset sky as the one I had seen yesterday cracked like a glass window. Through the cracks, the three Constellations’ apostles appeared.

“Oh my god...”

“Dear Lord, what is that...”

The guests stood up hesitantly, but upon closer look, it was clear that their reactions were a bit different from before. The knights and the other combatants instinctively gathered together, holding their weapons. On the other hand, the nobles who didn’t know how to fight were looking around warily, ready to escape at any time.

And, most of all, my response was different.

“Mr. Inquisitor!”

“Yes, Mr. Death King!” the Inquisitor immediately replied. He’d been waiting in front of the dressing room. “I’ll get on your back now!”

“Okay!”

“Divine Formula: Teleportation!”

This was the Divine Formula the Inquisitor used when I first realized he was a psychopath. At the time, the Demon King of Autumn Rain and the Goddess of Protection had given us a test that had divided us against one another.

Our destination was the bloody red sky, behind the apostle with the hammer, Lady Goldencup.

—Huh? W-what!? Goldencup looked back at me in bewilderment.

My holy sword clashed loudly with her hammer.

The gravity was dragging me from my lofty position, sending me plummeting back to the ground.

“One more time!” I shouted.

“Hahahaha, okay! Divine Formula: Teleportation!” the Inquisitor joyfully shouted.

The next moment, we were behind Goldencup again. Her back was wide open, so I swung my sword as hard as I could.

—Ugh! Goldencup blocked my attack again, but only just. Two ambushes in a row were too much for her and she lost her balance.

She had originally planned to descend straight from the sky, but our interference had turned it into an uncontrolled plunge.

—I don’t know what kind of trick you used, but it’s no use! Goldencup yelled. The wind tousled her blonde hair as she fell. I’m unstoppable! Nothing can hurt me now! The Ruin-Harvesting Cow gave me an invincible body!

“Did you sell your soul because you didn’t want to get hurt!?”

—Why do you care? Goldencup screamed. Everyone only looks at Raviel Ivansia! That annoying bitch—all she did was to be born into a good family, but she’s so pompous and acts as if she understands all of the sorrows in the world! I’ll kill you and take everything that bitch has!

Her desires couldn’t be more ugly, but I didn’t laugh at Goldencup. No matter how much we tried to gild it, humans were ultimately driven by their ugliest desires. I knew because I had experienced it myself... but that also gave me the right to answer her.

“You should have known that many people in the world are far worse off than you, Lady Goldencup!” I hefted the holy sword. “People know the pain they have experienced! So when another person screams in pain, you can sympathize with them because you can feel how lonely they are! People’s origins don't matter! Everyone who screams in pain is my kin!”

—Ha, you’re shitting me! Who lives like that? Goldencup sneered at me as she fell. You can’t even hurt me! I’m indomitable, indestructible, and immortal!

The wind blew against my face as we descended.

If she could change from a single word, she would have already been a different person. Words were powerless; actual power was needed to help the ones screaming. That was why the doctrine of the shadow’s followers was the sword.

“Shiny!”

[Shiny answers your call.]

“Become Sympathy!” I ordered.

[Yes, Hero.]

Black cloudy energy flowed out of the holy sword, instantly contaminating it with filthy black energy.

My opponent’s ability was powerful yet simple:

“That apostle is under one of Mutia’s blessings, the Unscathed Body! She can’t be injured.”

But I had a way to counter it—the sword I obtained in Teacher’s world, the Goddess of Protection’s second ability: Sympathy.

—Those whom I cut feel pain, but they’re never wounded or die. My ability is woundless pain.

“Sylvia Evanail!” I cried out Goldencup’s real name and struck her with my sword. “I’m going to kill you!”

—Ha, Goldencup scoffed. She didn’t even seem to plan on dodging my blow. The look on her face was telling me to bring it on. She had absolute confidence in the blessing she received. Try that if you ca—

Goldencup’s sentence was cut short by a piercing scream.

—Ahhhh!

My sword went right through her heart. It drew no blood and left no injuries, as if the sword didn’t exist—but the pain was there.

—Ugh, uh... ugh...? Aaaahhh! Ahhh!

Goldencup howled in pain. The wind from her meteoric descent couldn’t muffle the bloody screams ripping through the red sky.

“Mr. Inquisitor!”

The Inquisitor and I were rapidly approaching the ground. I stabbed Goldencup in the heart once more, and then, right before we fell to the ground, shouted, “Now!”

“Divine Formula: Teleportation!” the Inquisitor immediately yelled.

He used the Divine Formula multiple times. With every teleportation, our fall became slower; after the last time, we landed safely on the ground. Goldencup, however, did not.

The ground shook as if a small meteor had fallen. A cloud of dust rose over the impact zone. Unlike the last try, Goldencup’s landing had turned into an uncontrolled fall, and no one was harmed by her hammer—there was only an apostle convulsing from the pain of being stabbed in the heart.

I adjusted my grip and slowly walked toward Goldencup. “Does it hurt? It’s going to hurt even more.”

Goldencup recognized my footsteps and flinched and gasped as she staggered to her feet.

—H-help me! Goldencup begged the minions of other Constellations, ignoring me. All of us are under the treaty! I-it’s the contract! Lady Mutia won’t take kindly to you ignoring me like this! Even your Constellations won’t agree!

—Hmmm, the general on the pegasus mused. Strange. It’s... not a Constellation. That is more like a fragment of a Constellation. It’s hard to explain how he got his hands on such an item.

The general slowly raised his flag.

—It doesn’t change the fact that it’s an obstacle that has to be subdued. Warriors who follow the warhorse, awaken.

Thousands of ghosts appeared. In the red light, they looked like killers covered in blood. Screams of shock erupted from all over the wedding venue when the guests witnessed the absolute might of the enemy general’s ability.

“The Holy Battlefield affects a large area. It has the amazing power to allow summoned people to use their abilities like they could during their prime! Each and every one of those ghosts is an elite among elites and loyal to Mahos!”

But I had a way to deal with it.

“Gong-Ja,” Raviel called out, coming up behind me. I looked back and saw Raviel holding something in both hands. “Put this on.”

It was a black cape. Raviel wrapped it around me as if it were a scarf, covering up the white tuxedo I wore. The Ivansia family crest was embroidered on it with silver thread.

Meanwhile, the ghost army came closer and closer.

“Y-Your Grace!”

The wedding guests, even the knights, looked at Raviel in panic. Unlike the last try, they were in formation and had a strategy, but the march of the ghosts was terrifying in itself.

“What should we do? Please give us orders—”

“Just shut up for a minute,” Raviel flatly responded as she finished putting the cape on me. She didn’t seem worried about the ghost army. She looked at my outfit and nodded. “The cape looks good on you, too.”

“Thank you for allowing me to do this. I had to keep this at least.”

“I understand. See the ending you want.”

“I will.” I smiled and turned away.

A huge number of ghosts were running toward me.

“The Holy Battlefield affects a large area. It has the amazing power to allow summoned people to use their abilities like they could during their prime!”

I slowly raised the black sword and said, “Monster Legion Reincarnation.”

My shadow spread across the ground like the coming of dusk.

[Activating the Skill Monster Legion Reincarnation.]

The evening sky was red from the sunset, and the horizon was pitch black from my shadow.

—What...!

The general, who had been confidently riding his pegasus toward us, stopped, and so did the ghosts that followed him. They had charged with the certainty that they would easily slaughter us, but they were now blocked by the shadow that ate the ground.

“Master,” a part of the shadow intoned. “We’re at your service.”

Preta kneeled in front of me. Her appearance was different from usual. It wasn’t her usual delicate form of Estelle; wastewater flowed out of Preta, covering her in a coat of dark red sludge. She looked like the Demon King of Autumn Rain that I had faced before.

“It has the amazing power to allow summoned people to use their abilities like they could during their prime!”

Behind Preta stood martial artists dressed in black robes. Each looked different; they were born from all walks of life and led a life of their own, but they were now one in black.

“Greetings to the Young Demonic Heaven!”

They were the proof of my life.

In my black cape, I said, “Please fight for me.”

The cult members who follow the doctrine of shadow offered me their bao quan salute as one.

“Yes, Lord Young Heaven!”

It was time to start the war.