Chapter 36

Eight Hod Adishut Archangel All-Out Attack

This is passage from the "Sefirot Myth" passed down in Fairy World.

 

Long ago, in ancient times. The primordial darkness that the Holy Dragon Ein Sof had been fighting since the dawn of creation—this was the being known as "Qlippoth of the abyss."

 

This being, which has been reborn countless times in different forms, is also called the embodiment of disaster made up of ten pillars. Even the fluid-bodied Abyss unleashed from the abyss in this era was originally created from this very being.

 

The reason the world beneath the sea of clouds became an abyss where no one could tread was all due to the existence of the Qlippoth.

 

Thus, they were feared as the origin of the abyss, and records state that half were defeated by the Holy Dragon and the primordial angels, while the other half were sealed away.

 

However, like the Abyss, the defeated Qlippoth would revive again and again over time and each time, they would return to the heavens to spread calamity. It was said that most of the causes of death among the archangels, other than lifespan, were due to the Qlippoth of the abyss. Hence, the Archangel of Glory Hod suspected their involvement even in the death of his ally, Chesed.

 

──And he was right.

 

The fourth demon of the Qlippoth of the abyss, "Adishut."

 

The being thought to have been defeated long ago had now returned in this era.

 

And it’s even more powerful than before.

 

『Ugh…! This Hod… sensed a crisis for Ein Sof.』

 

Recognizing the enemy immediately, Hod bravely challenged him, but was sent flying by its overwhelming mass. Thrown against a high mountain behind him, Hod glared at the giant bird of darkness with his one eye exposed through the crack in his mask, and he shuddered at the combat power that was on a different scale than the Abyss he fought before.

 

Whether he noticed his gaze or not, the giant bird of darkness, Adishut, circled slowly in the sky, licking his beak as he watched the fleeing holy beasts below.

 

"AHhaHaHahAhHAhahAHahaHahaHahahA!"

 

…It was a grating voice. To Hod, an angel, it was a strange voice that hardly sounded like a language.

 

The particular high-pitched frequency sounds were eerie, like countless beings screaming while scattering.

 

Adishut turned his pitch black eyes toward him and launched another attack with the ease of stepping on an ant.

 

Opening his beak abruptly, he released an inky black breath.

 

『──!』

 

Hod hastily stood up and leaped away from the spot.

 

He held his prized large shield, but instinctively sensed that receiving that attack was bad.

 

His judgment proved correct, as evidenced by what happened to the place he had just retreated from.

 

『The mountain is…? As I thought, it's poison!』

 

The spot where the jet-black breath landed saw the entire area rot and collapse, and even the surrounding trees, affected by the aftermath, withered away in an instant.

 

The appearance was different from the legends, but the essence matched the records.

 

The spot where the jet-black breath landed saw the entire area rot and collapse, and even the surrounding trees, affected by the aftermath, withered away in an instant.

 

The appearance was different from the legends, but the essence matched the records.

 

The power of the fourth Qlippoth, Adishut, was "deadly poison" — exhaling a toxic breath that corroded all forms of life.

 

This was proof it was a dangerous being incompatible with any life in this world.

 

Therefore, in the name of the Ten Archangels of Sefirot, Hod could not permit his existence.

 

Even if I have to face it alone, I will take that thing down — he was filled with a strong sense of duty, and at that moment, Hod gripped the shaft of his spear tightly.

 

Bright red cold air and blue flames came hurtling from the side, rushing towards Adishut.

 

“Ugh…!? DaAt!?”

 

The sudden attack struck Adishut, who twisted his body and roared. However, the response seemed more annoyed than pained.

 

As expected… Hod recalled the words of the Holy Dragon Ein Sof.

 

“No… it’s nOt AT her LEVel. WheRe’s DaAt!?”

 

Though he did not seem injured, Adishut glared warily at the two attackers — Akatsuki En and Rikidou Chouta.

 

“We’ll lend a hand!” [En]

 

『You are…』

 

“We can’t just let this slide. Honestly, I don’t quite get everything, but if our abilities are effective against the Abyss, we should be able to help.” [En]

 

『…Fuh, fine. Don’t lag behind, savers!』

 

He doesn’t dislike the look in their eyes. The eyes of men passionate about their mission and a strong sense of justice. He even finds them likeable.

 

Though the mystery of Chesed's death was starting to unravel, humanity is still developing and not everything can be trusted… But if it’s these two and Mea, he's starting to think that he can trust them.

 

Fighting the Qlippoth of the abyss alongside humans — it was exactly as the Holy Dragon Ein Sof had foreseen, Hod thought with a slight smile at the situation he found himself in.

 

As a god, he might have flaws, but he was undoubtedly great, Hod reaffirmed.

 

『Hod-sama, we shall fight as well!』

 

『Prioritize defending the people of the capital. These two saviors and I have taken the task to take the foe on!』

 

With the same goal, he had no objections to cooperation. In fact, he would have requested it himself.

 

After all, the opportunity has finally come to sever the long-standing enmity with the Abyss — the Qlippoth of the abyss.

 

However, Adishut's power was immense.

 

With a body over 40 meters long, he could fly through the sky, creating sonic booms with each flap of his wings and inflicting massive damage on the ground. The spectacle was the very incarnation of calamity.

 

And that was not all.

 

“Whoa!? That was close!” [Chouta]

 

『Don’t let his breath touch you! Even a touch is death!』

 

“What a guy…!” [Chouta]

 

The breath was a deadly poison that corrodes and kills its target instantly.

 

Even clad in orichalcum armor, Hod could not afford to be careless in the face of such a threat. For a flesh and blood human, even slight contact would be fatal.

 

Adishut used his massive body for close combat and his poisonous breath for long-range attacks, moving cunningly at any distance. This clear display of intelligence distinguished him from any other Abyss faced before.

 

Yet despite his intelligence, communication was utterly impossible. Hod had tried telepathy multiple times as a precaution, but he received no response from Adishut.

 

Therefore, dialogue was impossible. To make matters worse, this demon with giant wings could move anywhere in the world. If allowed to escape, the potential damage it could cause worldwide was unfathomable.

 

—He will be defeated here. No more sacrifices will be tolerated.

 

『Let’s match up, Akatsuki.』

 

“! Vanishing─”

 

『Mercury─』

 

“Saberrrr!!!”

 

“!? OHhhHhhH?”

 

──Humans and angels, blue flames and flashes of light.

 

The combined deadly sword strike of the two found its mark on Adishut’s body, carving an "X" into his trunk.

 

In that instant, a fierce explosion, mingled with light and sparks, erupted, and a scream echoed from Adishut's beak.

 

There was an effect. Even a member of the Ten Archangels of Sefirot wouldn’t be unscathed after taking such a blow head-on.

 

──However, the giant bird of darkness that emerged from the smoky explosion was still alive and well.

 

“I wOn’t forGivE yoU… YoU buNCh oF fAIlureS…!”

 

There were wounds on his body. It was not as though the attack had no effect.

 

Yet even with their combined special moves, it was not enough to inflict a fatal blow.

 

This meant that even such a powerful move fell short of defeating him.

 

“Seriously…!”

 

Rikidou Chouta gasped in shock.

 

Their all-out attack only served to incite Adishut’s fighting instinct further.

 

…It’s coming.

 

A massive attack was imminent──Hod, with years of experience, sensed the next move and raised his large shield in preparation.

 

But right after that, Adishut suddenly stopped moving.

 

As if called by someone, he froze and then began glancing around.

 

His gaze settled on a single point on the ground where "Chesed's Perch" stood, and it roared out.

 

“──!? DaAt…? I sEE… YoU’re tHEre, DaAttttT!!”

 

『……！？』

 

This must be what they meant by spine-chilling.

 

Adishut let out a roar far more horrifying than the ones before and, without sparing a glance at Hod and the others, dove headfirst toward the spot he glared at.

 

『Not good!』

 

They had led him into the air to minimize damage, but if he descended at that velocity, the entire area would suffer a great disaster.

 

The group hurriedly gave chase, trying to intercept where it was heading.

 

But at that moment, Hod noticed who was at the destination and held his breath.

 

──There stood an archangel with twelve wings, someone even he, who had lived for thousands of years, had never met before.

 

When he recognized that figure, Hod realized the source of the strange feeling he had when he first saw her.

 

At that time, the sensation of the Sefirot of “Understanding” had cloaked her own presence like a perfume, dulling Hod’s judgment.

 

But now, he could feel it clearly.

 

Something that Hod had never sensed before──the presence of a "Great One," known now only in legend.

 

『As expected, so that was it… A primordial archangel.』

 

He hadn’t been certain. When he saw her with his own eyes, doubt lingered. But maybe he had reached a point where he had to believe it.

 

Now, something unprecedented was about to happen in this Fairy World.

 

Hod understood this and gazed at the girl with reverence.

 

The girl in front of his gaze──T.P. Eight Olishua, emitted flashes of light and darkness that pierced through Adishut’s body.

 

“NuOOoOo!?”

 

letting out a cry unlike any before, Adishut was blown away by her attack and fell onto his back.

 

Even with three people, they were unable to land a fatal blow, yet he was left writhing in agony after only one attack.

 

Even those who had journeyed with her were left speechless by the sight.

 

"Nee-chan, you’re amazing..."

 

"Eight... you’re..."

 

There were two types of reactions to her.

 

Rikidou Chouta and Mea’s eyes widened with pure excitement, while Hod and Akatsuki En nodded in understanding.

 

Not paying attention to their gazes, with her twelve wings, she gently floated into the air and looked down at Adishut with a composed and dignified expression.

 

“...DAat... I mIsSed yOu, DAat.”

 

“...Why did you have to appear? It would have been better for you to remain sealed away in the depths of dark history... Why did you come to this world?”

 

“To kilL yoU! BeCaUse wE lovE yOu!!”

 

“No one loves you. There is no one who seeks you... no one does. Return... to where you belong.”

 

“No... NooOOoO!!”

 

The sound of his voice was still impossible to understand, but it seemed as though she could comprehend Adishut’s words.

 

Her voice was cold, filled with the harshness of an angel denying his very existence... yet her lonely expression bore a trace of compassion, as though she pitied him.

 

And Adishut, upon hearing her words, let out a furious roar that shook the ground and sky of El.

 

“AaHhhHHhh!!”

 

『The energy is concentrating... this is...!』

 

At that instant, violent darkness burst forth indiscriminately from Adishut’s entire body. It was like a storm.

 

The immense darkness swelled, corroding every plant it touched and leaving nothing but dust in its wake.

 

It was the same as his breath. In other words, this darkness was a deadlly poisonous gas.

 

The area instantly rotted away, filling the air with an unbearable stench. Hod, though horrified, understood this was Adishut’s true power.

 

『Ugh...! Haaaah!』

 

This could not be allowed to spread.

 

Hod once more unleashed his full-power light blade Mercury Saber to counter it.

 

“...What power...!”

 

“What’s going on, damn it?!”

 

The turbulent flow of deadly poison gas expanded outward from Adishut’s body like a hurricane. En and Chouta also launched their own special moves following Hod, but Adishut’s power showed no sign of abating.

 

At this rate, everyone present would be consumed by the gas.

 

No, considering the limitless power of Adishut, not just them but the entire island would be reduced to a wasteland of death.

 

If there is one possibility to overcome this crisis, it’s surely──Hod glanced desperately from under his mask at the primordial archangel with twelve wings.

 

And then, the girl responded.

 

“Compounding... Purification.”

 

A notebook floated up from her left hand, and she summoned a silver harp from nowhere into her free hand. And when she plucked its strings with her glowing right hand, a pleasant melody resonated through the air, and at the same time, Adishut’s storm of poisonous gas rapidly began to weaken.

 

『This is...?』

 

“It’s the timbre of purification... with this, his poison is neutralized.”

 

“So she can even do something like this...?”

 

This was not an ability unique to humans specializing in one field──a supernatural ability.

 

This was the nature of “sacred arts,” with a purity rivaling that of an archangel, or even exceeding it.

 

Before long, the toxic gas completely disappeared, leaving behind the stunned, motionless figure of Adishut.

 

“I’ll seal away the poison. You all, use this opportunity to finish him—deliver the final blow.”

 

“! Got it!” [En]

 

『Thank you... T.P. Eight Olishua.』

 

“Alright! Let’s begin our counterattack!” [Chouta]

 

If they could neutralize the poison, they could get close and attack more aggressively.

 

Hod and the other two nodded at one another and accelerated at once, charging at Adishut.

 

“DaMn yOu... DAmn yoU, daMn yOu, damn youuu! WhY dO yOu rEjeCt us agAIn!? EvEn thOugh we lOve yOU sO mUch!!”

 

“Hyah! Shut up!”

 

Rikidou Chouta’s ice bullets slammed into Adishut, freezing his wings mid-flight and slowing him down.

 

Hod’s spear pierced the back of his head at high speed, unleashing a light bullet from the tip that made him recoil further.

 

And then, striking from an aerial position above, Akatsuki En launched a follow up attack.

 

“Eat this... Infinity Flare!”

 

“──!?”

 

All the blue flames enveloping him flowed into his raised hands, forming a massive, 30-meter-wide fireball as bright as the sun aimed at Adishut.

 

It seemed as though he poured all the power of his Fairy Burst into a single strike. It was an attack too powerful to be used against normal enemies.

 

But believing this was the only way to eliminate this monster, En took a gamble.

 

You’ve shown me… the strength of humans.

 

Hod supported that gamble. Now was the time.

 

Smiling with satisfaction at En’s trump card, Hod leaped back to avoid the blast and provided covering fire together with Rikidou Chouta.

 

“OoHhHhhHhhhh!?”

 

Immediately afterwards, a colossal fireball of blue flames hurled by En made contact with Adishut’ body.

 

The temperature rose rapidly, spreading the updrafts across El’s entire airspace, as Hod and the others continued unleashing their techniques in unison.

 

However, Adishut resisted, even as his wings disintegrated and his body burned.

 

“DOn’t jOke wIth mE…! I wAitEd fOr my rEvIval wIthin thAt gUy and nOw I fInalLy cAme bAck! I wAs sUpposEd to gEt morE pOwer aNd fUlly resUrrEct… DaAt!!

 

It was like a scream of deep resentment.

 

A cry that cursed everything in this world, amplified over countless years.

 

That intense passion fueled his power like how humans gain superhuman strength in emergencies, and he continued to resist, struggling to repel the blue flames that consumed his body.

 

“Ugh! No good… We’re still weaker than him!”

 

“Shit! Still not dead after all this!?”

 

Even the Ten Archangels of Sefirot found their abnormal life force unreasonable. Such was the power of the Qlippoth of the abyss.

 

The group did not let up in their attacks to obliterate him entirely, but they could sense that Adishut’s resistance was gradually overpowering them.

 

Even with the assistance of the primordial archangel (T.P. Eight Olishua) weakening him, it still wasn’t enough?

 

It seemed his power was bottomless, and the power of Hod’s group was nearing its end──It was at the moment.

 

──A single gleaming arrow of light pierced Adishut’s back.

 

“Gah!?”

 

『!──Binah?!』

 

You’re late! Hod, though slightly irritated by its timing, expressed gratitude for the support fire from behind.

 

Still, even with this arrow interfering, the situation did not change. It only slightly slowed Adishut’s attempt to recover.

 

But that brief moment was what sustained their hope.

 

Two violent streams of light came crashing down from the sky, pincering Adishut from both sides.

 

“ImpOssIble…!? SOmethIng lIke thIs… to mE…!?”

 

The radiant attacks belonged to the Archangel of “Beauty,” Tiferet, holding a staff, and the Archangel of “Kingdom,” Malkuth, wielding a holy sword.

 

Hod chuckled under his mask. How do you like our power?

 

Sensing the situation, the two Sefirot had hurried over from Adonai. Perhaps it was because they had come flying at full speed or the foul stench emanating from Adishut, both were unusually out of breath.

 

『What does this mean… I’ll listen to you later, Hod.』

 

『I understand. But for now—』

 

『I know. Malk!』

 

『Onii-chan’s imitation… disappear!』

 

The decisive turning point in this battle was marked by the assistance of two archangels who joined the conflict of powerful forces.

 

The massive blue fireball of Akatsuki En, bolstered by an all-out barrage of light, consumed the body of the giant bird of darkness in an instant, leaving not even ashes behind.

 

If it was indeed the will of the Holy Dragon Ein Sof, then he would never revive again.

 

Perhaps understanding this, Adishut's scream just before it disappeared sounded terribly frightened.

 

“We arE, tOwArds yoU... DaAttTTttt!!”

 

With a final, frenzied cry, the fourth Qlippoth, Adishut, returned to complete "nothingness."

 

The only price paid was a part of this island, and the only casualty among the holy beasts was likely Chesed alone... it was a miraculous outcome considering the appearance of the Qlippoth of the abyss.

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