Copy Skills with Affinity!

Chapter 206

Conclusion

“……I’m ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍not sure if this will be okay.”

“What.”

When Elisha responded curtly, Bailey narrowed her eyes and glared at her.

It was a look that clearly asked whether she was really going to keep up that attitude even at a time like this, but when Elisha turned back to her without even blinking, Bailey eventually let out a sigh.

“Do I really have to spell it out for you? Those people are obviously going to charge straight at Wornil as they are now.”

“……It does look that way.”

Elisha said that as she brushed her hair back.

Anyone could come to that logical conclusion after seeing the humans who had started moving with the same momentum as before, even now when they were right in front of the demonic temple, as if they were about to ram straight into Wornil headfirst.

“…….”

Elisha let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair.

Of course, both she and Bailey were in the same situation of being bound by that being called Wornil, so choosing that man as a means to escape from it had been a decision they both agreed on.

In that sense, the casting vote on how to resolve the situation had ultimately been placed in that man’s hands, but whether it was actually possible was something that always made them doubt.

“……Still, it’s also true that there’s nothing we can do right now except watch.”

At Bailey’s words, Elisha expressed her agreement by letting out a deeper sigh than before.

Well, it’s not like they’ll recklessly collapse after going that far. It’s probably best to just watch while believing that they also have their own plan behind those actions—

[-Come out---!]

—before I could even continue that thought.

The moment I saw Noel in the projection kick the main gate of the temple with a voice filled with fury, both Bailey and Elisha’s eyes widened at the same time.

-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“……?!”

“……---?!”

Right after that, when the main gate of Wornil’s temple that she had kicked exploded as if it had been blown apart, an intense reaction burst out from both of them simultaneously.

In Bailey’s case, since she had been drinking something at that exact moment, it splattered so dramatically that it almost completely drenched Elisha’s face, but the scene was so bizarre that even Elisha, who got soaked, showed no reaction at all.

“……Just now, that.”

“…………It broke in one hit, right?”

Even as something dripped down her face, Elisha responded blankly to Bailey’s words.

Naturally, the temple where Wornil was sealed was also his base, and at the same time, it served as a barrier painstakingly created by the gods of the Pantheon to prevent Wornil from awakening.

No matter how much divine power she was cloaked in, destroying a construct directly made by a god’s true body with a single kick like that—

Hmm.

“…….”

“…….”

They didn’t know what exactly was going on, but it was certain that the situation was once again doing something very ‘Aiden-like’.

▣

There were probably countless kinds of discourse that could be had about beings called gods.

But from Aiden’s perspective, at least the gods in this world felt far more human compared to the divinity discussed in the world he originally came from.

Let’s see, if it were the gods from his original world,

they were usually involved in grand and noble matters—guiding humanity toward the right path through spiritual enlightenment, preaching about how to live a true life, or something along those lines.

But the gods he was facing now?

“---Haaaaaaaaaaa----!”

“---Oooooooooooo----!”

“…….”

I stood there, speechless, staring blankly at the scene unfolding before my eyes.

Watching the humans charging forward while shouting things that were somewhere between battle cries and roars, filled with rage, made me doubt whether these were really the same people who had calmly listened to stories about the past with me by the campfire just moments ago…

“……Uh.”

I muttered blankly.

No, I mean.

I had no idea what I was supposed to do.

Of course, throughout this journey, I had caused or encountered all sorts of bizarre situations, but there was one thing I had always had in common during all those experiences—control.

Whether it was a situation caused by someone else or by myself, I had always at least had a clear blueprint of how things would unfold and how they would end.

A situation like this, where everything started in someone else’s hands and progressed according to someone else’s intentions, was something I was experiencing for the first time.

So.

Anything was fine, but for now, it felt like people needed to calm down a bit.

Things were moving too fast, and honestly, even I was getting a bit flustered at this point…

I quickly turned my head and searched for someone who could help resolve this situation.

“……Excuse me, priestess.”

It was a reasonable decision to try asking her for help rather than speaking to Noel, who was currently letting out roars while swinging sword energy that stretched nearly the length of a building, or Katya, who was burning everything in sight.

“Why.”

“…….”

I closed my mouth for a moment as I looked at Rania, who was striking down nearby approaching enemies with the radiant mana she was emitting from her body.

Somehow, it felt like persuading her wouldn’t be easy either.

No, if I remembered correctly, she wasn’t someone who particularly stood out in combat before, but the mana pouring out from her now was clearly at a level that showed no real inferiority even compared to when I had faced Urgan directly before.

‘……Was she always this strong……?’

I thought that and glanced sideways at Cretin, who was sticking close beside me.

It might be that she seemed stronger because this one was attached to her. It was obvious to anyone that this one was clinging to her and assisting the mana Rania was controlling.

But even taking that into account.

……what this side was dealing with right now was, no matter how you looked at it, an absurd level of power.

That remained true even when including the experience up until just now, where we had pushed through the Void Zone at a speed that anyone would consider ridiculous.

“……Um, shouldn’t we at least calm down first and discuss what we’re going to do next?”

“In the middle of a fight?”

“…….”

It was a rare situation where I got caught off guard by someone else’s logic and ended up speechless.

Still, it was obvious that the situation itself required some kind of discussion.

“No, I mean, even now—”

I paused for a moment and dodged to the side.

It couldn’t be helped, as Katya’s flames—spreading in all directions at a ridiculous level as if she were the sun itself—were turning all the top-tier demonic beasts rushing in from every direction into ashes.

“—even now, we’re breaking through this place at an absurd speed. But still, isn’t it a bit reckless to go in without any countermeasures or plan? What if something unexpected happens and we can’t respond?”

“Well. I’m more amazed that you can still worry about something like that even while looking at all this.”

As she said that, Rania waved her hand again.

If Katya resembled the sun through heat, then this one resembled it through brightness, effortlessly wielding radiant mana even now.

Another group of demonic beasts approaching from a different angle got swept up in it and were torn apart instantly.

“Rather than thinking about retreating here, why don’t you think about what you’ll do when you reach Wornil?”

“……Pardon?”

“There’s no way we won’t reach him.”

“…….”

“You know it to some extent now too, don’t you? Depending on your relationship with us, and our ‘emotional state,’ all of us become stronger or weaker.”

Though the latter had never once applied.

Adding that as an afterthought, Rania took a deep drag from her pipe and exhaled smoke around her.

“And if we’re this pissed off, we’re definitely not losing here.”

“…….”

“So stop thinking useless thoughts and just figure out how you’re going to fight at the end. It won’t even take long to get there.”

And in reality, that was exactly how it turned out.

It took only about an hour to reach the interior of the temple where Wornil’s true body was sleeping.

▣

“……This is ridiculous.”

“…….”

“…………What do all the plans we’ve been building for all those years even amount to, then?”

“…….”

At Bailey’s words, Elisha kept her mouth shut and slowly nodded.

Even Bailey, who usually cared about getting a response, didn’t mind her silence this time, which only proved how shocking the scene before them was.

In any case, anyone watching this scene would inevitably feel a deep sense of skepticism, no matter how strong he was.

Across the entire continent, the only beings capable of wielding that kind of power were, quite literally, the gods of the Pantheon. That was an undeniable fact.

“……But.”

And because of that, it was something that appeared even more clearly from their perspective.

“Isn’t it… a bit lacking?”

“…….”

At those words, Bailey silently agreed.

Of course, both of them fully agreed that what was being shown over there was shocking, but they knew what kind of being Wornil was.

The God of Devouring, the strongest and most terrifying god who had been sealed after indiscriminately devouring even other gods.

If they thought about whether this could truly stand against something like that, well.

“…….”

“…….”

It was lacking. Clearly.

It didn’t feel completely unwinnable, but it definitely felt like they were missing a decisive finishing blow.

“……You know.”

As they shared that impression, Elisha suddenly spoke slowly.

She hadn’t even said anything yet, but just hearing her tone was enough to send a chill down Bailey’s spine.

“…………Could you maybe think about it a little first?”

“Hey. I haven’t said anything yet.”

“That’s exactly why I’m asking you to think before you say it…!”

Bailey spoke with almost desperate urgency, but Elisha, who had been quietly listening, nodded and opened her mouth.

“No, you might actually like it too.”

“…….”

It was very much like her to say whatever she wanted without even thinking about the suggestion to think first, but still.

“What is it?”

“You know, if you get entangled with that man in some way, you end up gaining tons of divine power and getting strengthened, right?”

“…….”

“……Don’t you think there might be a way for us to do that too?”

It was definitely the kind of sentence that made you hesitate to even ask what exactly she was trying to suggest.