The shadowy form of the giant landed, not roaring like a wild beast, but just its presence alone exuded a rather terrifying power.

"Looking for me, are you, gentlemen?"

In the rear of the battlefield, the Grand Priest, who had silently disappeared amidst the chaos, stood with his hands behind his back on a rock protruding half a meter from the beach.

"You old coot! What are you showing up for now? Shouldn't you be hiding somewhere!"

The rock was swept by the shockwave of the giant's landing, making the sand roll a few times on the ground. As he spat and spat out the sand he had eaten and climbed up from the beach, he glared at the Grand Priest standing less than ten meters behind the giant and shouted.

From the perspective of an onlooker, the Grand Priest's position was undoubtedly quite dangerous. His withered old body was no match for the towering giant, seemingly about to be crushed like an ant in the next moment.

But the Grand Priest still wore a kind smile on his face, making Aya want to jump up and punch him—not out of disrespect for the old man, but because that smile reminded Aya of another old geezer who had the same smile, Archbishop Heinrich, who had tricked the princess during the coup in the capital.

"Oh, that won't do, Young Hagan. If I didn't show up, your loyal guards might come and take this old bones of mine away."

"Who dares! Bah... Old coot, who told you that! Get lost!"

Even a young punk like Hagan dared not look directly at the shadowy giant. Although the creature had not made a move yet, to say it posed no threat was absolute nonsense.

"Young Hagan, are you really worried about this? Rest assured, it won't attack me."

The Grand Priest walked slowly to the foot of the shadowy giant and gently patted its heel.

"What...?!"

Not only the three who belonged to the resistance organization and were enemies of the Grand Priest were shocked, even Hagan and his bodyguards showed varying degrees of surprise, their gazes towards the Grand Priest changing.

The shadowy forms were bloodthirsty, highly aggressive monsters, untamable, and unable to coexist harmoniously with humans.

Even the three who knew the Grand Priest had a conspiracy were somewhat surprised at this scene. In this world without magical powers like MagicChi, controlling elemental creatures was absolutely impossible—were they supposed to expect them to sit, roll over, and shake hands like trained dogs?

"Old man, what's going on here?"

Hagan even forgot about the dagger he had pointed at the Grand Priest not long ago and his gaze towards the Grand Priest became subtly different.

"Can't you see it yet?"

On the side, Saeya no longer cared about the still oblivious Hagan, slowly adjusting his breathing and focusing all his attention on the towering giant in front of him, "Dim the brightness of the moon in the sea, increase the numbers of the shadowy forms, use them to destroy the city and kill civilians... You really had no idea what this guy was up to."

"What... Old man, is she telling the truth?!" Hagan's expression was momentarily blank, tightened his fist, gritted his teeth and asked the Grand Priest.

"Indeed." Surprisingly, the Grand Priest didn't even bother to deny or dodge, "Child, young people's impulsiveness is something very easy to exploit, isn't it? Right, Lord Eclipser?"

Hagan's brain went blank for a moment, then swiftly flashed through the scenes of the Grand Priest since he arrived at Seabreath and recollected now. Looking back, those seemingly plain words were like sugary bait, constantly leading him in a certain direction...

As the heir who was supposed to inherit the position of the family head but had the opportunity taken away, combined with his youthful nature, Hagan couldn't help but have resentment and unwillingness, but what led them out... was it the Grand Priest?

The more I recall, the colder Iwaryuu's hands and feet became. The timing of his sister's assassination attempt on the high priest was just too coincidental. Right when he had thoughts of seizing power, his sister failed in her attempt to assassinate the high priest. After that incident, he indulged in the joy of success without even carefully considering why someone as excellent...and even bordering on perfection like his sister would do such a thing.

All the triggers, including the day the Tairaeda mansion was attacked, were filled with many mysteries. Perhaps subconsciously, he understood that the deaths of the loyal guards who were faithful to his sister were advantageous to him, hinting that he should not dwell on that aspect.

"On that night...those who invaded the Tairaeda mansion were also..."

"Only now you realize?" The high priest finally dropped his benevolent old man demeanor, his eyes revealing a hint of disdainful mockery. "My dear child, Lord Iwaryuu, you might want to think carefully again."

"What do you mean...?" Iwaryuu asked subconsciously after the sudden blow.

"Respected Lord Tairaeda Kawa, who was clearly in the prime of his life, it's really strange that he met such an abrupt end," the high priest mercilessly tossed a bombshell into Iwaryuu's already deeply shaken mind.

With the utterance of the last word, his mind suddenly went blank.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The heart's once steady and strong beats rapidly increased under the intense emotional drive, pumping out a large amount of blood to flush through his body's veins, silently strengthening Iwaryuu's physical abilities.

"Die, you bastard!!"

The young man snatched the gun from the surrounding guards in a fit of rage and fired continuously. Unconsciously enhanced by breathing techniques, Iwaryuu exhibited shooting skills far beyond that of an ordinary person.

The five bullets in the rifle were fired in a brief moment due to the enhanced breathing techniques, creating an effect akin to rapid firing. Three bullets blocked the lateral evasive direction, while the remaining two locked onto the forehead and heart.

If facing an ordinary person or even a swordsman who had practiced breathing techniques, it would be an almost sure-kill situation, given the vast difference between firearms and weapons of the past era. The high priest, on the other hand, was just an aging old man who had no chance of dodging.

But he was not alone, after all.

The shadowy colossal figure gently moved its feet to intercept the bullets with its body, as the trajectory penetrated the entity like entering a swamp, rapidly losing kinetic energy within the dense, substantial dark elements, corroding the metal bullets until they disintegrated.

"Praise the great Sun-Eater deity, what a magnificent creation! Such power is enough to crush everything!"

"I must say, old man, you shouldn't get so excited at your age, it's not good to strain your back!" A sudden gust of wind and Aya's voice rang out from above, "Also, has anyone told you how those villains who boast about their crimes before they succeed end up in a miserable demise?"

—This wisdom was obtained from Tiran's wondrous comic books.

Simultaneously, Sayo silently appeared by the high priest's side, her long blade unsheathed, reflecting the cold moonlight.

"No," the high priest looked up at Aya.

Pausing for a moment, Aya realized the guy was answering her question. It was truly bizarre that the high priest would take the time to look up to her and earnestly respond at such a moment.

"Because it's no longer necessary. Before success, you say? But I've already accomplished the great deed!"

The next moment, the moonlight from the sea extinguished, plunging the world into darkness.

Simultaneously, from all directions came the echoing cries and the frantic voices of the people within Seabreath not far away.

Aya and Sakuya's attacks still landed, even though the darkness surrounded them, they had long aimed at the high priest. With his elderly body, it was impossible for him to dodge.

Aya distinctly felt her fist hitting the high priest's face, the tremendous force causing that face to sink and deform, sending the entire person flying, and Sakuya also felt the sensation of cutting through the solid with the blade.

But something was off.

"The blade... There's something wrong with that guy!"

Sakuya ran her finger along the blade, feeling a sticky, cold touch. The blade of the Darkseeker had been specially crafted to cut down dark elemental bodies without corroding, but the residue on the blade, a bit of "blood" from the high priest...

"This can't be happening, right?" Aya shook her hand, sensing trouble.

"Human beings are so fragile, even if they plot and achieve their goals, when facing you extraordinary beings, they still appear weak and pitiful... It takes being a superhuman to stand a chance..."

In the distance, the high priest's voice echoed in the darkness, mocking.

"Unbelievable... That guy, has he transformed into a being of darkness? Retaining human thoughts?" Sakuya looked at Aya in incredulity.

I haven't heard of this either!

"Are you kidding me? This guy just completed the transformation of his elemental body in an instant?" Aya was dumbfounded, what kind of power could achieve this? At least not a Holy Rank magitechist, and even Holy Rank rule changes are limited to the framework of the world's major rules.

"This is the power of the Sun Eater God, you will die here to fulfill that god's desire!"

Amid the high priest's fanatical laughter, the ground began to shake, and something massive overhead was hurtling towards Aya and Sakuya.

"Oh no, I forgot there's a gigantic dark elemental next to us!"

...

"Wake up..."

"Wake up..."

Echoing in her ears was the call from afar, the voice gentle, yet insistent like a winter morning alarm that Aya didn't want to acknowledge.

After calling for a while and getting no response from Aya, the owner of the voice sounded somewhat helpless.

"...Excuse me."

"What on earth is this!"

Aya felt an electric-like stimulation all over her body, muscles momentarily paralyzed and spasming, pulling her abruptly out of her semi-conscious state.

As Aya regained consciousness, she opened her eyes but was almost blinded. Unsure of what had happened before, she now found herself in a pure white space, starkly contrasting with the eternal night of Morninglight before, making her eyes unable to adjust for a moment.

"That... Astelyn Olgrin Eriol Iblothrest Hug Marigus Minorger..."

Right, Morninglight! She was just on the beach, and then... it seemed like the plot took a sudden turn? Did that high priest suddenly lose it and use a Dark Elemental giant to crush her?

"Mr. Aya?"

So, where is this? The afterlife?!

"Aya?"

So, a majestic Golden Dragon like herself didn't die at the hands of some dragon slayer or princess, but instead was squashed by a Dark Elemental she had casually defeated in full health? How embarrassing!

"Pay attention to me, you idiot!"

"So it wasn't an illusion?! I thought anyone who called me by my full name must be my imagination..."