My Goddess is Good at Pretending-Chapter 689: Turmoil Before the Assault
The ancient walls of the sealed Nacrax City loomed on the horizon, their jagged edges silhouetted against the crimson sunset. This desolate place, sealed for centuries, served as the nest of the Demon King of Extreme Evil and his horde of dark demonic creatures.
The air was thick with malice, and the distant cries of tormented souls echoed across the barren wasteland surrounding the city.
After two months of perilous journeys, the hero expedition party finally arrived at their destination. However, they chose to retreat to an abandoned fortress twelve kilometers away from the sealed Nacrax City, taking their time to rest and recuperate for the final battle against the demon king and his army.
It was a stronghold that served as the frontline against the demon king’s army. Eight generations of heroes had fallen in this accursed land, leaving nothing but the dust of defeat. However, this time would be different.
They were not alone in this endeavor. The White Hero, their leader and beacon of hope, had been counting on reinforcements from the Elysion Church, led by the Sacred Saintess, to bolster their efforts against the demon king and his army.
During those two months, the heroes and prodigies of humanity experienced many things, from overcoming various obstacles from strong enemies to getting stronger with each battle and uniting as a force by looking after each other’s backs.
Sadly, it was not all a bright and pleasant experience. Almost half of the party was no longer there, supplies dwindled, and morale wavered many times.
"Where’s she?" Mashiro mumbled.
His confidence already hit rock bottom as he was extremely aware of his limit. He couldn’t protect everyone, especially during battle. It would be a decisive showdown against the final boss, but he knew his party would suffer tremendously if the promised reinforcement wouldn’t arrive, or worse, they could be wiped out with barely any survivors.
When the banners of the Elysion Church finally appeared on the horizon, they brought not only relief but a renewed sense of purpose. The remaining elite warriors and the heroes were overjoyed at the sight.
"What the hell?! It’s a fcking spaceship! Are we in the same era?" Richard rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing.
He thought this world was somewhat backward, only advanced in martial arts and magical powers. However, the Elysion Chruch arrived with a futuristic advanced spaceship!
The heroes, prodigies, and elite warriors murmured in awe at the Elysion Church’s arrival, cheering at the overwhelming presence of the many experts on the flying ship.
Miko was clad in flowing white robes embroidered with golden symbols of divine power to represent the Elysion Chruch. She led her party to land near the abandoned fortress to meet with the heroes.
Holy warriors, their armor gleaming with celestial light, marched in disciplined ranks. Great mages, wielding the massive firepower, came right after. Their presence radiated an aura of unparalleled might.
As the Sacred Saintess descended from her radiant battleship, her beauty and elegance captivated all who beheld her. Her serene expression exuded wisdom and compassion, yet her eyes burned with a righteous fire that spoke of her unwavering dedication.
"..." Mashiro was struck speechless. Sacred Saintess Miko’s presence was as awe-inspiring and captivating as he remembered. He found himself entranced by her every movement.
Miko approached the White Hero, speaking with an apologetic voice. "I apologize for the delay. The journey was fraught with unforeseen obstacles, but we are here now to fulfill our promise. Together, we shall cleanse this land from the Demon King of Extreme Evil and his demonic army."
Mashiro soon regained his composure and bowed his head respectfully. He was enthralled, and he tried to hide it. "Your presence alone renews our hope, Saintess Miko. With your aid, we are certain to prevail."
"Milady, my sacred lady saintess! You’re blessed with divine power to revive the dead. Can you, can you please revive my comrade? He is, his body has not been cold for long... You can do it, right?"
An elite warrior went on his knees, begging the Sacred Saintess while pointing at his dead comrade.
"..." Gabriella extended her hand forward, preventing the man from approaching her master further.
"The world has its law and nature. His soul already departed to the cycle. He is a man of virtue, a precious comrade, dying as a hero for humanity. Please don’t grieve his departure as he is sending us with a smile from the realm above." Miko shook her head as she pointed to the sky.
There was a rule to revive the dead. That fallen warrior’s soul was no longer there, leaving only an empty cold body. If she forced the revival, it would be nothing more than an empty vessel, no different from an undead known as a zombie.
"I see..." The grieved warrior slumped down, feeling disappointed but the truth was merciless. His comrade, his bro, died because of him, but as his last hope, Saintess Miko couldn’t revive his bro.
"I’m sorry." Miko sincerely apologized, but there was nothing she could do.
"It’s alright. I probably just asked for too much..." The grieved warrior put his bro’s cold body into his storage pouch as he wanted to give his bro a proper burial later. That is if he was lucky enough to survive the last battle against the final boss, the demon king.
Though the words were earnest, Mashiro’s gaze lingered on Saintes Miko’s face longer than propriety allowed. The core members of the hero party exchanged knowing glances but said nothing.
"Ahem, our appointed time is delayed for a month. We also just arrived here and have yet to scout the sealed Nacrax City’s surroundings. What do you think we should do first, Saintess?" Mashiro cleared his throat, putting the atmosphere back on track.
"We already have the necessary information regarding the Nacrax City here." Miko felt Mashiro mocked her a bit, but she remained silent because the hero expedition party got hit hard during the journey. She didn’t wish to sprinkle some salt on their injuries.
She said they would wipe out the Demon King of Extreme Evil in three weeks, but many unexpected things happened. The hero expedition party took longer to arrive, and she also couldn’t help out as reinforcement during the heroes’ journey.
"It’s glad to meet you in perfect condition, milady. If this Gu may ask, what have you been doing in the past months?" Gu Cheng, one of the young prodigy, stepped forward, speaking amiably but there was a subtle hint of dissatisfaction in his voice.
"How impudent! Saintess is not obligated to report her activities to you." Gabriella stepped forward, feeling offended.
"How impudent is this Gu? I’m just worried that Saintess Miko is waiting for us for too long." Gu Cheng squinted his eyes.
The final battle was already right before his eyes, and he did not want the reinforcement to steal the credit without much effort. He and the entire hero expedition party had gone through various life-and-death situations to arrive here, eradicating all the demonic forces on the way. For the Elysion Church to come here instantly, it was too convenient and it displeased him.
"Gabriella, step back." Miko called out with a serene tone.
"Yes, master." Gabriella stepped back and stood behind her master. She and her fellow disciples stared at the so-called prodigies, realizing those people showed a subtle hint of hostility for no reason.
"We’re performing the purge in the other worlds. The Caelum World isn’t the only one that requires our assistance. The great evils have become so active lately, and divine human sanctions need to be imposed." Miko let out a soft sigh.
"!!!" Mashiro and everyone else who understood what Saintess Miko said were shocked beyond belief.
The Elysion Church was so busy and probably preoccupied with another task, but Saintess Miko still came to fulfill the promise.
"What, what kind of purge?" Mashiro stuttered a little. He knew Saintess Miko held so many secrets, but as much as otherwordly her presence could become, he desperately wished to know more about her. He believed he was the key to return, the only one who could help him and his comrades.
"Hmm~" Miko responded only with a faint smile.
"Oh, dear goodness. I swear, you shouldn’t know. We’re here as reinforcements to help you to wipe that big villain from existence. You don’t have the qualifications to continue interrogating us, especially since our force is far stronger than your combined party." Mingyue was so displeased because the so-called heroes were acting so unsightly.
"Mingyue, please mind your manners." Feng Xue pulled her little sister back.
"..." Shiina glanced at the disguised Glorious God, hinting him to speak something.
"Ha ha ha! What’s with this intense atmosphere. We’re here with the same goal, a common ideal, and glory. The sun will set soon, so we should listen to Saintess Miko’s plan and information, making sure we’re ready to attack by morning." Rhykdohr laughed awkwardly. He stood between the two parties with a laugh, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere.
"Can we proceed?" Miko asked.
Mashiro raised his hand to his comrades, asking them to be quiet and refrain from offending Saintess Miko. She came with an overwhelming force to help them, and they should treat her with the utmost respect. "Yes, please speak your mind, Saintess Miko."
The combined forces of the hero expedition party and the Elysion Church soon gathered to plan their assault.
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Miko appointed Shiina as her spokesperson for the plan because Shiina was the one who sealed Alronuth in Nacrax City.
As night fell, the camp became a sanctuary of light amidst the darkness of the demonic city. Miko and her mages conducted a sacred ritual, calling upon the heavenly light to shield them and weaken the demonic forces.
With their preparations complete, the allied forces stood ready to face the Demon King of Extreme Evil. They would make their move at night even though they knew that the majority of the demon race would be strengthened at night.
