It is said that ever since the collapse of the glorious Sixth Era, when the vast human empire that once ruled most of the Northern Continent crumbled, the western lands of the continent plunged into an era of warring states almost overnight.
Numerous nations rose, fiercely antagonistic towards one another, locked in endless cycles of conquest and strife.
According to historical records from both the Northern Continent and the Western Nations, approximately six millennia ago, a prosperous and powerful empire once thrived where the Netherworld Forest now stands.
This empire was renowned for its advanced culture, governance, and military might.
Its territory was not vast, roughly equivalent to two and a half times the size of the Kingdom of Alvia.
The imperial capital and its core regions were nestled within the very bounds of what is now the Netherworld Forest.
At the zenith of its power, amidst a chaotic world, its population miraculously swelled to over a hundred million.
Its economic output alone ranked fourth across the entire Northern Continent.
Even more astonishing, this empire boasted a staggering two million mages.
Among them, nearly thirty thousand were publicly acknowledged as having reached Level 3.
How utterly unbelievable!
Consider this: even the Ampros Empire, widely regarded as the most powerful nation with a population of six hundred million, only had a registered five million mages.
Even if one were to generously estimate their Level 3 mages, the number would barely reach sixty thousand.
If we were to compare these figures…
Pah, pah, pah! What comparison is there to make?
There’s simply no comparison at all!
With less than a fifth of the Ampros Empire’s territory and merely a sixth of its population, this mysterious empire could still stand almost as its equal.
One can only imagine the sheer frustration the Ampros Empire must have felt at the time.
Indeed, at that time, this enigmatic empire was even hailed as a symbol of humanity’s resurgence.
Given its astonishing rate of development, it was believed that within a few centuries, it could potentially surpass the Ampros Empire, the continent’s foremost power, in military might.
Yet, strangely enough…
This incredibly powerful empire, at the very peak of its glory, vanished without a trace, all in a single night!
And prior to its disappearance, there had been absolutely no warning signs.
Even now, some speculate that this nation must have incurred the wrath of the gods, prompting a divine punishment.
Though everyone understands that the gods themselves… vanished ages ago.
****
“Scum—scum, scum, scum—”
[Thwack—]
The sharp sword, wielded with unparalleled might, pierced through the presumptuous Goblin’s body.
Even in its final moments, the Goblin’s eyes remained wide with disbelief.
“That’s why…”
“Scum—”
[Thwack—]
“I absolutely despise Goblins!”
From the Minotaurs and vicious Lizardmen and Tiger-men she first encountered, to the Goblins she now faced, Leya had lost count of how many monsters she had slain.
Yet one thing was certain: in this battlefield reeking of blood and littered with severed limbs, Leya… truly did not want to remain here any longer.
If she had a choice, Leya would rather not kill these monsters.
Even she couldn’t pinpoint the reason, but an inexplicable discomfort gnawed at her.
It was infuriating!
“Damn it! This is truly infuriating!”
[Thwack—]
[Thwack—]
With virtually every swing of her sword, Leya claimed an Orc’s life.
Her opponents, however, couldn’t even discern the motion of her blade, let alone mount an attack.
They could only passively defend, though even that often proved futile, as Leya frequently cleaved both them and their weapons in two.
“Oh—I am truly surprised. I never imagined you would be this formidable.”
‘!?
‘Finally… it speaks?’
Leaping to a relatively safe spot, free of Orcs, Leya tidied her golden hair.
She then cast a wary gaze around her surroundings.
“Though I am reluctant, it seems I must personally defeat you now.”
As the words left its mouth, violent winds suddenly erupted around Leya.
The ground trembled incessantly, causing countless trees to topple.
Even the surrounding Orcs, sensing something amiss, hastily retreated in all directions.
While the display of power was astonishing, to Leya, it was inconsequential.
Moreover…
“Oh? No ‘Winds of Death’ this time?”
“Indeed. By our agreement, everyone attempting to escape this place, including you, must perish.”
“Therefore, I wish to dispatch you swiftly, so I may pursue the other humans.”
Leya: ‘…………’
‘I’ve been underestimated, haven’t I? Absolutely underestimated!’
‘Damn it! It’s just a mere beast, after all… after all… after all…’
‘Ugh…’
“This accursed sunlight still displeases me so. If I had my way, I truly wouldn’t want to fight at a time like this.”
Leya: ‘…………’
‘What… what is this?’
‘A snake? A snake the size of a small mountain!?’
‘And it possesses a head utterly unlike any serpent, one that strikingly resembles a dragon’s… Yes, it’s a dragon’s head, damn it!’
‘And its appearance—if I’m not mistaken, it materialized out of thin air, didn’t it?’
‘It just appeared out of thin air, right!?’
“No, no, no, Host, it didn’t appear out of thin air, though I too find it hard to believe.”
“However, it does contain a faint trace of divine power, and it used this power to cast a spell akin to spatial transfer.”
‘………………’
‘Spatial transfer…’
‘So, in essence, it still appeared out of thin air, didn’t it? Sigh…’
‘But there’s more. If I heard correctly, the system just said this snake possesses faint divine power, didn’t it?’
‘If that’s true…’
“This is going to be difficult…”
Leya bit her lip, racking her brain, yet she couldn’t conceive of any technique she possessed to counter such a colossal and seemingly powerful foe.
‘Unless…’
“Host, are you truly going to do this? With all due respect, it is exceedingly foolish.”
“Against such an opponent, I believe that by effectively utilizing this Holy Banner, you could easily…”
“The Holy Banner? Yes, with it, I might be able to withstand all attacks from this monster, but that’s all it would be…”
“And System, you know I despise that.”
“Alas… merely seeing one facet of things while neglecting the whole. It seems you, too, in the choice between ‘Sword and Scabbard,’ ultimately chose the sharp sword over the scabbard…”
****
So… should it swallow this intriguing human whole and digest her, or perhaps disable her limbs, then keep her captive to continuously absorb her magic?
It might even turn her into one of its ‘good partners’ in the future, who could say…
Yet, as the colossal snake pondered its dilemma, Leya suddenly sprang into action!
She plunged the Holy Banner into the earth before her.
Then, raising the Saintess Sword, she unhesitatingly carved a bloody wound across her palm, allowing the blood to gush forth without a single flicker of concern.
With her eyes tightly shut, she knelt before the Holy Banner, an image of profound piety.
To an observer, the young woman’s actions might have seemed like a gesture of surrender to the giant snake, or perhaps a choice to die a martyr’s death in the face of overwhelming power.
However, the colossal snake perceived it differently, for in its eyes, a completely different scene unfolded.
“The heavens declare the glory of the Lord; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
From the end of the sky, it ascends upward, circling all the way to the end of the sky.
My end is here, my destiny is here, my life is here.
My existence is as naught, wandering like a shadow.
My bow cannot be relied upon, nor can my sword save me.
With the only thing remaining, may I guard his steps…
Lord, I entrust this body to You—
After despair, hope shall surely dawn!!!”