Subscriber of the Gods Chapter 335 - Because I Won

“Y-you dealt with them? The Apostle?”

“Yes. As you expected, it was a high-ranking Apostle and she was incredibly strong. I nearly died, but fortunately, luck was on my side and I managed to deal with her.”

Ethan’s appearance was indeed in a terrible state.

His aura, which usually felt calm, was now fluctuating erratically.

However, even considering that, Ghost Sword found it hard to believe that he had dealt with a high-ranking Apostle alone.

Apostles were beings who reigned at the pinnacle among the followers of the Moon.

Before becoming the principal of Ivecar, Ghost Sword had traveled around the continent and experienced various events until he earned the title of Ghost Sword.

During that process, he had encountered an Apostle. Of course, he only realized it was an Apostle later, but he had witnessed the strength of these beings with his own eyes.

He had heard that the one he met was considered weak among the Apostles, but even so, the pressure was tremendous.

The Apostle who had invaded Ivecar now was surely not a low-ranking one like the one he had seen before.

If that was the case, it should have been impossible to face them alone.

“It was difficult.” 

Ethan answered Ghost Sword’s doubts with a brief statement.

“This isn’t something that can be described as just ‘difficult’…”

But if it was Ethan saying this, and not someone else, Ghost Sword had no choice but to believe him.

And the details could be figured out after this was all over.

“Well, anyway, that’s amazing, truly amazing! You’ve saved the lives of the students and teachers!”

Ghost Sword patted Ethan’s shoulder with a bright expression.

Ghost Sword had been quite worried and troubled in this fog.

He had been concerned about whether they could handle an Apostle even if they managed to get outside.

He even worried that the Apostle might have already killed everyone.

But now all those worries had been resolved at once.

“You’ve done a great job! Well done! You saved them! You saved Ivecar!”

“No, this incident happened because of me in the first place. So it’s only right that I clean up the mess.”

Ethan smiled calmly, but Ghost Sword didn’t miss the slight wince hidden between his words.

“You’re in really bad shape, aren’t you.”

Only then did Ghost Sword realize why Ethan had come to rescue him.

With Ethan’s skills that could deal with a high-ranking Apostle, he should be more than capable of handling other followers of the Moon.

But Ethan wasn’t in any condition to do so now.

So he must have come to rescue Ghost Sword to join forces for the aftermath.

“Let me out quickly. We need to go as soon as possible.”

Ghost Sword said, patting Ethan’s shoulder.

“You’ve done well. Now, you should rest. I’ll take care of the rest. You’ve more than fulfilled your role.”

Ethan bowed his head slightly and raised his hand.

Shaaak-.

Ethan parted the fog just as he had when he entered this mist. Then he walked to the center and began to dismantle the formation of this fog transformation.

“I’ll leave it to you, Principal.”

***

“Kuuuuaaargh-!”

In the end, disaster struck.

One of the second-year teachers fell with a deep cut across his chest.

“Teacher Irochi!” (+) ^[1] TLN: Irochimaru? Is that you?

The follower of the Moon raised his spear to strike down the fallen teacher.

Clang-!

At that moment, Ciron Ramsdale’s sword blocked the spear.

Although Ciron was also quite injured and tired, he managed to block the attack by pushing himself.

He saved one teacher, but as a result, the delicate balance that had been maintained collapsed, and a hole opened in their formation.

“Th-this side! This side has been breached-!”

A teacher shouted urgently.

It was on the opposite side from the entrance, but if they set their minds to it, they could easily break through the wall and enter.

“Damn it!”

But in the current situation, there was no spare capacity to support that side.

Claudie, who had grasped the situation, gritted his teeth and tried to move forward by stomping the ground hard, but his attempt was blocked.

“Claudie Hyde! Did you think we would let you go easily?”

The true apostle and his guards were feeling a great sense of humiliation.

No matter how much of the Hyde family bloodline he had, he was just a teacher. Yet, more than ten of them couldn’t overcome a single teacher and were being held back.

“In that case, I’ll make sure to kill you.”

“Watch helplessly from here as our believers turn your comrades into ghosts.”

Clang-! Clang-!

Claudie swung his sword with all his might to push back the true apostle, but the true apostle, who had grasped his intention, stubbornly refused to give ground.

In the end, Claudie couldn’t join the collapsed formation.

Kwang-!

A follower of the Moon standing in front of the building wall pulled out a huge hammer and swung it hard.

Kwang-! Kwang-!

Three times in a row. Then, with the sound of the wall cracking, large cracks began to form.

“No!”

“W-we must stop them…!”

Kwang-!

The building wall collapsed, and the inside became clearly visible.

“Enter!”

At the true apostle’s shout, all the followers of the Moon on that side began to enter the building.

“Damn it…”

The knight captain leading the knights of Marquis Rond’s house watched the scene with great despair. Despite coming as reinforcements, they couldn’t push back the followers of the Moon. More than half of the knights were already fallen.

But then.

Kwang-!

Something fell from the sky. It landed right in front of the followers of the Moon who were trying to enter the building.

Crunch-.

The follower of the Moon at the very front was crushed by whatever had fallen from the sky.

“Where do you think you’re going? This is where our Ivecar students are. It’s not a place that corrupt beings like you can enter carelessly!”

At that voice, the gloomy expressions of the teachers brightened considerably.

“Principal!”

“The Principal has arrived!”

The teachers who had been holding out, as well as the knights of Marquis Rond’s house, all looked relieved at Ghost Sword’s participation.

Moreover, the principal hadn’t come alone.

“Is everyone alright?”

“I’m sorry we’re so late.”

The heads of the Knight Department and the Magic Department were also with him.

With the three strongest individuals in Ivecar joining the fray, the tide of battle reversed in an instant.

Slash!

“Follow me and surround those followers of the Moon!”

Ghost Sword displayed swordsmanship as chilling as his nickname suggested. The followers of the Moon fell like leaves, not even realizing they had been cut.

As the followers of the Moon couldn’t stop Ghost Sword’s advance at all, the teachers and knights following behind could now pressure the followers of the Moon much more easily than before.

“Claudie Hydeeeee!”

“It’s all over. Your plan ends here.”

The true apostle fighting Claudie, enraged by this situation, cast an instantly activating spell.

Whooosh-.

Bang-!

A magically created firework rose into the sky and exploded like a firecracker.

“It’s not over yet, you fools! Do you know who’s coming to Ivecar right now? You don’t know anything!”

The true apostle wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled.

“Do you know why we came here?”

Then, spreading his arms, he said,

“We came to kill Ethan Whiskers. You’re all suffering like this because of Ethan Whiskers. But where is the culprit? Where is he?”

The true apostle grinned.

“He won’t come no matter how long you wait. Why? Because he’s probably already dead. The 3rd Apostle personally came to kill Ethan Whiskers. We received orders from the 3rd Apostle to annihilate all of you.”

“Because of… Teacher Ethan?”

The pupils of the teachers, who knew nothing about the attack by the followers of the Moon, shook. The knights of Marquis Rond’s house also looked bewildered as they hadn’t heard the full story.

“You didn’t know? Hahahahaha! You really didn’t know! I guess the principal and department heads of Ivecar who came to help you didn’t tell you! You’re all dying because of Ethan Whiskers!”

Feeling that his words were having an effect, the true apostle laughed brightly and raised his voice.

“When the 3rd Apostle arrives, everything will be over. I’ll give you a chance now. Decide whether you want to die comfortably or painfully!”

At the mention of the 3rd Apostle, the two department heads and Claudie Hyde frowned.

They roughly knew that the number represented the apostle’s position and strength.

The 3rd Apostle meant they were the third strongest among the followers of the Moon.

Being the third strongest meant they were one of the top powers on the continent… It also meant that unless you were on the level of the Holy Emperor of the Holy Empire or the Demon Emperor of the Demon Empire, it would be difficult to face them.

Of course, if it were the two who are counted among the top three on the continent, they could easily defeat the 3rd Apostle, but…

Conversely, it also meant that if you weren’t at that level, there was no one who could guarantee victory against the 3rd Apostle.

Even Ghost Sword, the principal, was a known powerhouse on the continent, but he couldn’t be certain of victory against the 3rd Apostle.

In the moment of silence that fell, Ghost Sword stepped forward.

“You there, follower of the Moon.”

“Ghost Sword, are you trying to negotiate? But it’s too late. You have no chance of winning. The 3rd Apostle will be here soon.”

“I didn’t realize such a high-ranking Apostle had come. The 3rd Apostle, that’s not someone I can handle.”

“Kukukuku-. Is the principal of Ivecar thinking of begging for his life?”

Ghost Sword appeared calm, but inwardly he was cursing vehemently.

He had thought that since Ethan, who always seemed strong, had become so weak, a truly powerful apostle must have come.

Probably a two-digit apostle. At most, he thought the 7th or 8th Apostle might have come.

But the 3rd Apostle?

He had heard that those called the top 3 Apostles possessed strength that was beyond the norm.

He could say for certain.

He didn’t know how strong the 3rd Apostle was. If someone asked, he would say they’d have to try to find out.

But if asked in this situation, he could definitely say:

They couldn’t win.

That’s how strong the 3rd Apostle was.

It was thanks to the top three Apostles, who were counted among the strongest on the continent, that the followers of the Moon could reign as objects of fear even if they were ostracized.

“…Now I understand.”

Ghost Sword murmured quietly.

That’s why Ethan ended up like that after fighting and winning against such an Apostle.

But at the same time, he felt relief.

“You know well, don’t you, Ghost Sword? How strong the Apostle is. Further resistance is meaningless. It would be better to prepare the path to paradise even now. Moon Mother will not turn away those who try to enter paradise. Of course, you’ll have to repent sincerely.”

Ghost Sword stared at the true apostle who was speaking, drunk on the feeling of victory.

“That 3rd Apostle will not come.”

“What? Hahahahaha, is that what you want to believe?”

“I have no choice but to believe it.”

Ghost Sword said.

“Because Teacher Ethan killed that 3rd Apostle.”

“What nonsense! Refrain from such blasphemous words!”

To the true apostle’s hysterical cry, Ghost Sword replied leisurely.

“Why don’t we wait and see? If, as you say, the 3rd Apostle killed Teacher Ethan, they should appear soon. But if the 3rd Apostle is dead? Then conversely, Teacher Ethan will make an appearance. Isn’t that right?”

“Hahaha-! Are you trying to buy even a little time? It’s meaningless!”

“Whether it’s meaningful or not, we’ll know if we wait.”

“Fine, let’s wait… and.”

Feeling something strange, the true apostle turned his head and his eyes widened in shock.

“!”

The students who had been left behind and couldn’t gather here.

“E-Ethan Whiskers… how are you…?”

And Ethan Whiskers, who had found all of them and brought them here, was there.

“Because I won.”

Ethan took a step forward with a confident smile.

• 1. TLN: Irochimaru? Is that you?