Though they'd lost Castorice's protection, the survivors weren't completely defenseless.
The demonic beasts surrounding them still surged forward like a torrent, but higher-level creatures were scarce, and most weren't even present in this area. So, hope for breaking through hadn't yet vanished.
The most immediate threat was the horde of lowest-tier monsters—the Lion-Hounds. 'Lowest-tier' was relative, of course; these were still demonic beasts, not mere wild animals. A single one could easily kill an unarmed grown man.
Fortunately, though Castorice had kept the survivors safe until now, they hadn't discarded their weapons.
At first, they hadn't trusted her. They didn't believe she had the power to protect them.
Later, when she demonstrated her formidable strength, they were convinced—but they still kept their weapons close, just in case.
Even that young boy had picked up a long spear for himself when they left the city ruins.
Even if things felt secure under Castorice's protection now, they knew a day would come when they'd have to face the enemy.
They placed the elderly, the weak, the sick, and the children in the center, surrounded by a ring of able-bodied adults—men and strong women ready to fight.
For a time, the beasts couldn't find a good way to break their defense and close in.
Yet, no one felt relieved. Human stamina has its limits. The moment their strength ran out, the monsters would swarm them.
Of course, with the situation dragging on, Uruk couldn't possibly remain unaware.
At the main gate, the commander Ushiwakamaru had noticed the disturbance back when Merlin first appeared.
But the distance was too great then, and trusting in Merlin's capabilities, she had held her forces back.
Now, however, the group of survivors was drawing near her defensive position. A push to suppress the demonic beasts was all it would take to secure their safe passage.
With that thought, Ushiwakamaru charged out.
As their leader, she had to take the front. Not a moment's hesitation—sword in hand, she plunged into the tidal wave of monsters.
Compared to an ordinary human, a Servant's combat power was on another level entirely.
Wielding her tachi, Ushiwakamaru moved through the beast horde as if it were nothing.
Every swing of her blade claimed a monster's life.
But her exceptional performance drew the attention of the enemy's stronger units. Soon, several massive Ugallu and Mušhuššu shifted toward her, blocking her advance.
"Out of my way!"
Her sharp blade cut through the air, leaving trails of light. But these elite beasts were far more troublesome than the common ones. Even Ushiwakamaru found herself unable to break through immediately.
--+--
On the other side of the battlefield, after unleashing her full power, Castorice's aura had grown noticeably deeper.
In this environment saturated with death, an intangible purple haze swirled around her.
It was the scent of death—the ultimate enemy of life.
Freed from the suppression of the River of Souls's waters, many of the demonic beasts were eager to tear their prey apart. Yet, upon touching this aura, they fell into a silent stillness.
With light, lotus-like steps, Castorice moved forward through the encircling beasts. As she passed, she gently brushed her hand over the head of one nearby.
In the next instant, the creature's vitality vanished completely, its life returning to the embrace of the underworld.
"Oh? Interesting. This power… You've been blessed by Death? But… it's useless. Tricks like these are meaningless against a god."
As Castorice slowly approached, a mocking smile appeared on Kingu's face.
"Still, you know who I am, don't you? Knowing that, you aren't running away, but choose to walk toward me?"
"These demonic beasts… In some of them, I sense the presence of human souls."
Castorice gazed sorrowfully at the fallen monsters around her.
"Earlier, I was puzzled. The defenses of those human cities, while not as strong as Uruk's, shouldn't have been easily broken by ordinary beasts. Now I see—it was you who shattered their walls, wasn't it?"
"So what if I did? They're just outdated humans. Beings destined to be replaced sooner or later."
Kingu snorted coldly, his tone devoid of any pity.
"I will stop you. I will avenge those who have died. Life should not be defiled like this."
"No. You won't get the chance!"
Kingu let out a derisive laugh. The next moment, he shot forward like lightning, charging fiercely at Castorice.
Not to be outdone, Castorice met him, the gleaming sickle in her hand slicing through the air before clashing violently with the luminous sword in his grasp.
Clang!
A sharp, piercing sound rang out. Surprise flickered in Kingu's eyes.
Castorice was stronger than he had expected.
Then he saw it—in the instant their weapons locked, she reached out with her other hand, aiming to touch his chest.
Bare-handed? How could that possibly defeat me?
Kingu scoffed and moved to block with his own palm.
But the moment their hands made contact, an extreme sense of danger exploded in his mind. He tried to pull back, but it was already too late.
In a flash, Castorice's left hand had seized his wrist.
Death began to spread. A dark, withering silence manifested on Kingu's body.
But Kingu was a divine spirit after all. A curse that would kill a mortal instantly could only eat away at him at a slower pace. Only after it had corroded his entire body would death claim him.
Seeing the situation turning against him, Kingu unleashed his power, forcefully throwing Castorice back.
"This power…"
Kingu retreated several steps, putting distance between them. He stared at his withered right hand, now completely devoid of life, a trace of caution in his eyes.
He had thought this ability only worked on demonic beasts. It seemed he was wrong—it was effective even on a god.
However, Castorice didn't relax just because he had stepped back.
Her opponent was, after all, a powerful deity. A minor injury like this wouldn't be enough to defeat him. Moreover…
Kingu sneered and raised his right arm. A golden light shimmered over it, and in the next moment, his hand was restored, perfectly good as new.
Kingu possessed a Holy Grail within him. At this level, she could never defeat him.
Having learned his lesson, Kingu wouldn't underestimate her again.
And now that he was on guard, Castorice would find it much harder to lay a hand on him.
Which meant, from here on out… it would be a direct, hard-fought battle!
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.