Chapter 305: Iroen of Corrosion

The Pegasus slowly folded its wings, landing at the edge of a primeval forest under the protection of three angels.

From a distance, they could already see the towering giant tree in the center of the forest, which overshadowed nearly one-third of the area with its canopy. Even Yuna, who had been startled and surprised when she first saw the sight from horseback, had yet to shake off the astonishment.

“What on earth is up with this tree… it’s enormous! Is there really such a wonder here in the Sanos Province?”

Yuna couldn’t give a constructive answer to Princess Philomina’s bewilderment, but Miss Wing stared at the tree crown that seemed to pierce the heavens, murmuring as if lost in thought.

“Life… Divine Tree? How can this be? Surely, Princess Xi Fu should have…”

“…?”

Leila and Renée exchanged glances, clearly on the verge of understanding something, yet they tacitly kept silent.

After all, they weren’t the only ones present.

In the clearing outside the forest, a figure stood still, silently waiting for Yuna and the others who had just landed.

It was a woman with pink hair, dressed in a refined off-the-shoulder gown typical of nobles. Exposing more than a third of her skin, including her white, delicate arms and a small portion of her jade-like legs, she exuded an air of elegance yet also a strangely seductive allure.

Behind her, glossy magical wings spread out on both sides, the long tails with heart-shaped tips twisting slightly like ethereal snakes, alongside two long black curved horns on her head—all proclaiming one identity.

A high-ranking demon, a Succubus—mortal enemies of the Holy Empire and the Church of the Goddess.

“Hoo…”

The noble unicorn snorted, issuing a warning sound, and Princess Philomina and the others showed hostility, gripping their weapons tightly.

After all, the appearance of the Succubus, combined with the unmistakable demonic aura saturating the forest, proved that they had already gotten ahead in the intelligence regarding the possible existence of the Judging Saintess here, and perhaps even erupted in fierce battles.

Succubi were the most direct race of Corrosion—both vile and difficult opponents. While there were two saintesses and three angels present, it was clear this individual was a significant being, distinct from ordinary Succubi.

This could be gleaned from the unusually complex shape of her wings and the ancestral markings on her forehead.

However, after sending the white horse away, Yuna simply raised her hand to signal everyone not to act rashly, nodded at the angel wings, and walked alone toward the Succubus.

“Yuna, Your Highness?”

“Don’t be impulsive… leave it to me.”

Walking slowly, the Saintess reached within mere meters of the Succubus, stopping at a distance.

She didn’t lower her voice to avoid the other girls behind her but spoke in a normal tone as if conversing casually.

“It seems you’ve been waiting for quite some time.”

The Succubus—Clisia Iroen—maintained an indifferent expression, examining the figures behind Yuna, and spoke with a faint smile.

“Not too long, but to think you could find angels to help, you really are something else. I hadn’t seen them in a long while; I thought they had been wiped out along with the gods.”

“This shouldn’t have anything to do with our transaction, right?”

“Mm, that’s right—so, are you ready?”

“Let’s begin.”

“As you wish~”

Clisia nodded slightly and seemed unprepared, closing her deep purple eyes. The previously dim and hardly noticeable eye-shaped markings on her forehead began to emit a profound brilliance.

A faint divine aura wafted outward, yet it felt absurd and eerie, mysterious and unpredictable, like sweet poppies blooming in the wilderness, making anyone who saw or smelled them feel dizzy, wanting to get closer, touch, and sink into it.

However, everyone present was no ordinary individual; whether as saintesses or angels, they all had quite a remarkable resistance to such mind-affecting temptations, merely the divine essence overflowing in its pure form wasn’t enough to make them lose themselves and become puppets.

Instead, it heightened their vigilance.

“…The Lord of Corrosion!”

The divine ring on Princess Philomina’s wrist shone brightly, helping her resist the dual assault of divine authority and the innate alertness it brought, prompting her to instinctively want to take action.

But Miss Wing pulled her back once again, communicating through a glance to watch the changes.

As for Leila and Renée, their reactions were much calmer—perhaps because the sisters didn’t comprehend the Four Great Demon Lords as deeply as the Holy Land’s Saintess did, or perhaps the significance represented by that ancient tree gave them confidence.

At least when Corrosion emerged, they expressed nothing.

Then, faint yet extremely clear, a phantom representing a magnificent will from another distant world appeared behind the Succubus Clisia.

It had four arms, each holding a pink orb etched with eye patterns, and had wings similar to the Succubus, yet it bore a human body with a goat’s head.

It wore a large robe that simply covered its body, appearing free-spirited and relaxed, with its almost goat-like head having no eyes.

However, it wasn’t blind.

Indeed, the eyes of the King of Corrosion Iroen were those four orbs cradled in its arms, radiating an indescribable allure.

Of course, to be precise, there are three now.

Everyone present could clearly observe that the phantom of the King of Corrosion’s left upper arm, which should have held another orb, was now empty, with the other three orbs quietly pulsating and focusing on the Saint of Bright Light in front of them.

Guided by its descendant, it conveyed its will.

【Long time no see, Spirit of the Artifact; it seems you’ve restored your physical form.】

Although it contained the power to captivate souls, Yuna, directly facing this thought from the divine, seemed unfazed, calmly replying.

“Yeah, the last time we spoke face to face like this was over three hundred years ago. I was originally planning to contact you through one of your descendants, but it’s fine… Iroen, you don’t seem to be doing too well.”

Completely ignoring the other Saintess and three angels behind her, Corrosion focused its attention solely on the girl regarded as the “Brilliant Light,” without addressing her subtle mockery.

【Undeniably, one of the Source Pearls has been lost. While my equal divine power hasn’t diminished, the effects have been quite noticeable. Coupled with the deteriorating situation in recent years, the “Chaos” has become increasingly unstable. In this back-and-forth, my strength has indeed slightly faltered.】

【That mutual devastation has affected us both; it’s a failure on my part.】

Yuna raised her brow.

“To think that a lord comparable to a god would say such a thing is quite surprising… I’ve been wanting to ask for three hundred years now: Was that Lord of Chaos truly that fearsome, that even the three other lords couldn’t contend against him in unison?”

Corrosion didn’t show any signs of arrogance; at least in front of the Saint of Bright Light, it spoke with an even tone befitting an equal.

【Gods are not omnipotent. The rank of “Chaos” indeed surpasses the three of us, but to say it’s inconceivable to contend against… Artifact Spirit, you underestimate me.】

【Some things are not impossible to do; they are simply unnecessary, not worth doing. You understand this principle quite well.】

   

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