After all, this is the swordsman’s mental world, a manifestation of his current state and subconscious thoughts, rather than an unchanging reality. Therefore, the situation in the real world naturally reflects here as well.

 

The swordsman himself is being assimilated and corrupted by the 【Faceless One】, but the process seems to have been greatly delayed due to his unique abilities and physical condition, as well as the external help he received. Correspondingly, this “evil force” sealed in the sword, as mentioned by “Menna,” is the counterpart.

 

Since even with the help of Yuna and the others in the real world, the swordsman hasn’t been able to handle this issue, the situation in this mental world is likely to be the same, if not worse.

 

Soon, as if to prove the priestess’s concerns,

 

“Crack… Crack…”

 

One of the towering stone pillars surrounding the central giant sword suddenly emitted a distressing cry of strain. Defying physical logic, it inexplicably disintegrated in mid-air, collapsing completely with a roar, turning into countless falling debris!

 

“Wow! Get out of the way!”

 

As the massive rocks fell, the little girl “Menna” hurriedly tried to push Violet, who was just inches away, aside.

 

However, whether it was due to her fragile, diminutive form in this mental world or the stability of Violet, her action seemed more like she bumped directly into the latter’s arms, who then held her protectively.

 

“This place really is full of dangers, huh~”

 

With a slightly teasing laugh, a long-lost golden shield rose up from the ground, blocking the falling meteor-like stones and causing a series of thunderous collisions.

 

In the mental world, all abilities and methods are naturally constrained by the strength of one’s mental power. This might be challenging for some strong individuals who excel only in physical prowess, but fortunately, as a max-level priestess who has recently been practicing this area of ability, Violet found it relatively easy to handle.

 

“Ouch!”

 

Although Menna was just a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl, she had already developed quite well during their last meeting. Combined with the fact that Violet herself was relatively petite, the moment Menna, modeled after a certain princess, was held in her arms, her head accidentally bumped into Violet’s chest, producing a slightly crisp sound of impact.

 

Of course, as a priestess with extremely high defensive capabilities, Violet felt nothing of it. However, the blue-haired girl rubbed her sore head, instinctively looked up, and a visible blush immediately appeared on her delicate face. She quickly looked down in embarrassment, not daring to speak further.

 

But soon, noticing the situation, Violet released the small girl from her embrace, alleviating her awkwardness. She then looked up at the gray sword body revealed among the falling iron chains after the pillar’s collapse.

 

On the sword, numerous black and white face masks appeared, each with a myriad of expressions and an aura of bizarre and strange intent. They seemed to be living creatures sticking to the sword’s surface, constantly changing and shifting.

 

Just looking at them brought an almost absurd and bizarre thought to mind, making it feel like the expressions on her face were merging with those on the sword.

 

There was no doubt, this was an evil presence not belonging to this world.

 

“Sure enough, it’s hidden here, the 【Faceless One】… Well then, let me see just how bizarre you really are.”

 

As soon as the girl finished speaking, the countless masks stuck to the sword’s surface seemed to respond to the provocation. They detached themselves from the sword and soared into the air, descending toward the two priestesses below with an array of grotesque and chaotic expressions!

 

“I found it! It’s here!!!”

 

Not only that, but as if empowered by some unknown force, the number of grotesque masks surged wildly, causing the once simple collapse of a stone pillar and a few falling chains to completely disintegrate in just a few breaths!

 

Far beyond the previous countless falling stones, which crashed down on the protective barrier, large portions of the chains also fell away, exposing the gray sword covered with densely packed black and white masks. These terrifying faces rose into the air like a dark cloud pressing down on the city, crushing everything in their path!

 

“Waaah! Wh-what is happening! The seal, the seal is…!!”

 

“Don’t panic, just stay here and don’t run around.”

 

After instructing the terrified “Menna,” who was left disoriented inside the barrier, the girl’s long white wings, which had appeared behind her, flapped gracefully.

 

The holy figure in black hair and white robes ascended directly into the sky, passed through the protective barrier, and lightly stepped into the void above the barrier, facing the overwhelming army of masks.

 

The masks chanted and roared in incomprehensible languages, seemingly mad.

 

“Indeed found it! It’s the light! The light is here!!!”

 

“Reward! Master’s reward!!”

 

“The light is mine!!!”

 

“What light? What chaos is this? You all worship the Goddess, don’t you…?”

 

With the situation suddenly escalating and becoming an attack target, the girl shook her head helplessly. She extended her hand toward the sky, and countless golden longswords pierced the void behind her, transforming into sharp, ready-to-strike blades, awaiting her command.

 

“Light!!!!!”

 

As the black and white masks surged and roared toward her.

 

“Go.”

 

The golden rain of swords tore through the sword tomb.

 

“Swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish…..!!!!”

 

Countless sharp blades cut through the air, creating explosive sounds of piercing, slashing, and cleaving through the grotesque entities.

 

The battle line crumbled instantly. The two sides never managed to engage in an evenly matched confrontation, it turned into a complete massacre.

 

The black and white masks, it seemed, were not as unafraid of death as the desecrators, who defied and rebelled against the rules.

 

After less than one-tenth of their number were annihilated by the sword rain, the once manic and mocking faces transformed into expressions of fear, mourning, or anger. They howled and fled in panic!?

 

“Ugh! So scary! The light is so terrifying!!”

 

“Help! I don’t want the reward anymore! Master, save me!”

 

“Don’t let them escape! For the glory of the master, advance!”

 

Uh… what’s going on with these guys?

 

Facing the massacre of the mask legion, Violet suddenly found herself puzzled.

 

The enemy’s strength was weaker than expected. Violet had prepared high-level defensive magic, but none of these entities managed to break through the sword rain to reach her.

 

Moreover, even though she had only entered Mr. Dead Soul’s mental world, the masks attached to the giant sword seemed to possess completely different consciousnesses, emotions, and thoughts. If these were all virtual consciousnesses derived from the same mental world, it seemed overly complicated.

 

Of course, despite her confusion, Violet showed no hesitation or mercy toward the things actively attacking her and still threatening the city.

 

In her raised palm, a light almost as bright as the sky erupted, calling for judgment.

 

“【Purification Rain】.”

 

Thus, more light transformed into countless holy swords, enveloping the entire sword tomb in the mental world.

 

As one of the few pure attack spells in the Holy Light magic, the eighth-tier spell 【Purification Rain】 was powerful enough to instill despair in any being below true divine level.

 

Even though she had not activated the so-called “Destruction Mode” to unleash the spell’s full potential, the threat she faced was not the same as the hundreds of thousands of abyssal calamities that once destroyed the Sky Island in her illusions.

 

The grand golden sword array descended from the heavens. The scattered masks, whether they wailed or mourned, even if they became fierce and terrifying roaring faces, could not prevent them from disintegrating in the torrent of sword rain.

 

And then, they were completely reduced to dust, unable to leave any remnants.

________________________________________

TL Note:

[1]

Just a heads up, in Volume 5 Chapter 68, you probably noticed the spell called 【Purification Prayer】. This is different from 【Purification Rain】 that Violet used in this chapter.

【Purification Prayer】 is a spell used by Yuna Summerfield. According to Violet’s assessment/observation, that spell is a six-tier spell.