“……”
“……”
On the way back with Naiad.
The green wind lost its way, so I had to move on my own.
Naiad sat in the cage, blankly staring at the ever-changing scenery.
“Are you confused?”
“… Yes. I don’t know what to do.”
In the end, Naiad did not fall into the hands of the Spirit King.
Naphras had secluded himself in the forest, and even Nord returned to his original place without taking her.
“The Spirit King was definitely alive. He didn’t give me any signals, but I am sure of it.”
“He might have only passed on his power.”
“Lily… do you really think the Spirit King did that?”
“Yes.”
I’ve met Arrowna only a few times, but there’s already a precedent.
‘Spirit of Darkness, Sephid.’
The Spirit King who had gone crazy enough to want to destroy the world was just next to me until recently.
The Water Spirit King likely sacrificed himself when his entire race was in danger.
‘Someone has to survive for the Water Spirit to continue existing.’
Hearing that, Naiad’s head drooped even further.
By the way, I’ve already left the door of the cage open, but she still isn’t coming out.
“Really…”
“However.”
“?”
“You won’t know until you hear it directly.”
In the end, all of this is just a conjecture.
I have to meet Arrowna in person to piece together the puzzle.
“Whether the Spirit King really gave up on himself to find a replacement, or if he just separated his power to retrieve it later when the situation ends.”
If that’s not it…
“Maybe Naiad is a mutant.”
“……”
“You wouldn’t know.”
“Alright.”
Clang!
“I’ll meet the Spirit King directly and hear the truth of this story. Whatever the choice may be, I will follow it without fail.”
“Good idea.”
Naiad, having come out of the cage, regains her original form.
As Naiad stretches out her hand, countless waves spread out in all directions.
Those waves will reach the world, seeking the Spirit King who is losing his existence.
“But… what’s your relation with the Spirit Kings? For the great Naphras to speak so respectfully…”
“Just a friend.”
“A friend?”
“Yes. A friend.”
A friend connected to the past.
Someone who possessed enough kindness that I didn’t have to keep or dispose of in my soul.
“…Saying that, you seem scared.”
“I told you, she’s a friend.”
“Is it because she’s an angel…?”
“Angel. Should I introduce you?”
With one swing of a hammer, you could go to heaven and see an angel.
‘Of course, there’s no such thing as heaven.’
“But I don’t have it.”
The soul can either perish, be reborn, or only have eternal life.
The Naiad shook her head quickly.
“No.”
■
A week has passed since the Great Cataclysm began.
The ‘First Damage’ claimed the lives of tens of thousands, and the users united, continuing to fight against numerous clones as many hunts unfolded.
There were about 500 clones at stages 1-3.
12 clones at stage 4.
2 clones at stage 5.
By the third day of the Great Cataclysm, the relentless onslaught of clones kept everyone busy, but at some point, everyone started to get used to it.
The Alliance members who wanted to catch the stage 5 clones couldn’t break through the Red Horse even when Black and the Magician returned, and eventually acknowledged my will.
Because the users, not the ‘Challengers,’ were weaker than expected.
Thus, the Alliance occasionally captured the stage 4 clones, and then the much-anticipated stage 5 appeared, and I sealed it, letting them handle it on their own.
Of course, they still couldn’t catch the endlessly regenerating Kraken.
“Is anything not coming out today?”
“I heard a stage 3 popped up, are you going to catch it?”
“It really doesn’t die, lol.”
“Is the stage 5 not out again;;?”
“Let’s just catch what the Alliance catches.”
“What’s the Empire doing? Empire, come on!”
“Heavenly Horse, Heavenly Horse, Heavenly Horse.”
“Is the Heavenly Horse not coming?”
“Soon.”
On the corpse of the stage 5 Kraken.
While waiting atop an enormous corpse that could be called an island, a woman I had grown accustomed to seeing over the past few days gracefully descended before me.
With her flowing black hair and the dark energy emanating from her.
“Sorry for making you wait.”
“Let’s keep it simple today.”
As I took my stance, the Heavenly Horse took hers as if she was used to it.
Since the situation had slowly stabilized for the past few days, I decided to focus on imparting techniques to the Heavenly Horse rather than dragging my feet.
After all, the ones who need to be most active in this Great Cataclysm are the owners of the bracelets.
The bracelet not only seals the power of the Kraken but also grants the ‘wearer’ strong resistance.
The Sword Saint can handle himself well, but it’s tough for Black or the Magician to grow in a short time.
In contrast, the Heavenly Horse has the foundation for growth.
She has enough energy and has accumulated countless real-world experiences over the months.
“But do we have to do this here every time?”
“Who knows? Something might pop up while we’re at it.”
“Alright, got it.”
All that was left was her realization.
“I’m coming.”
“Come on in.”
The Heavenly Horse drew up her black energy from her lower abdomen and shot in an instant.
Her body, infused with energy, suddenly accelerated and dived behind me, delivering a fierce kick.
Thwack! After parrying that, she leaped like a martial artist and executed a kick infused with magical power.
“Ugh!”
The Heavenly Horse’s doll-like form got pushed back, sweeping across the Kraken’s corpse, and she absorbed that rebound, cycling her energy.
Being pushed out, I absorb the recoil and circulate my inner power.
At the same time, I rotate in the air and prepare to deliver a powerful strike.
Using a technique that requires a long casting time in a duel where every second counts.
It’s a much-improved movement compared to the last duel.
“Heavenly Horse…”
[Heavenly Horse’s Dominance]
[Heavenly Michael Jackson ㄷㄷ]
“Heavenly Horse’s Dominance.”
Boom!
Kwaduduk!!
The corpse writhes as the overwhelming Heavenly Horse’s Aura pours into me like boiling liquid.
Right now, I’ve adjusted my level to be equal to the Heavenly Horse for this duel.
No matter how confident I am, getting hit by that Heavenly Horse’s Dominance would be dangerous.
‘So I will too.’
“…?!”
I take a stance with my right foot forward.
At the same time, I unleash my magical power and strike the ground with the Heavenly Horse’s energy.
Boom!!!
“Heavenly Horse’s Dominance.”
Chuhuhuhuh…!
The clash of Heavenly Horse’s Dominance versus Heavenly Horse’s Dominance.
With every step I take, the enormous corpse crumbles, and sounds of explosions from my inner power and magical energy echo around.
“Ugh…”
“Focus more.”
“I am… focusing…!”
The Heavenly Horse draws more inner power from the Dantian to resist me.
Simultaneously, the energy of the Heavenly Horse’s Dominance begins to warp.
“…!”
Kugugugugu…!
The Heavenly Horse’s Dominance influences not only the ground but the very sky.
The Heavenly Horse’s Dominance I created, not the Heavenly Horse, now transcends the realm of the skies.
“Concentrate. This is only once.”
“……”
The Heavenly Horse assumes the same stance as me.
Her Heavenly Horse’s Dominance begins to change gradually and starts to exert influence not just on the ground but in the sky as well.
‘Not yet.’
It’s still weak.
I don’t know exactly what powers the profession of Heavenly Horse unleashes, but what is certain is that the Heavenly Horse possesses talent.
With talent, anything is possible.
“…!”
[Huh?]
[?]
[???]
The world flips upside down.
A massive wave of power sweeps through, and my magical energy maintaining the Heavenly Horse’s Dominance is swept away like fallen leaves in the wind by overwhelming force.
As this near-disaster-level power unfolds around her, the Heavenly Horse, despite her confusion, maintains her stance and slowly opens her mouth.
“Is this the power of The Ruler…?!”
“Not exactly.”
“What?”
Pointing at the corpses we’re standing on, the Heavenly Horse finally closes her mouth as if realizing something.
What seemed to originate from the Heavenly Horse now appears to be more than just that.
‘The entire corpse.’
A reckless fracture is occurring across the entire corpse.
“Unfortunately, it’s not because of the Lord Heavenly Horse.”
“…I-I see?”
“Yes.”
“…….”
[The Ruler’s power, lololololol]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[천마 눈나 개커엽네]
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[천마 사랑스럽네]
[야자의 코 ㅋㅋㅋ]
[아아… 이것이 힘이다]
[근데 방금 ㄹㅇ 뭐였음]
[???]
“그럼 무엇 때문에…”
“그건 지금부터 알아봐야죠.”
나는 대련 상태가 아닌 본래 상태로 돌아온 뒤 바닥에 손을 대었다.
죽은 지 시간이 좀 지났지만 여전히 썩지 않고 남아있는 사체.
아까와 같은 폭발적인 힘은 느껴지지 않는다.
뭔가 이상한…
“저…”
“역시 별다른… 네?”
“저것이 무엇이냐…?”
무언가를 올려다보는 천마.
나는 자리에서 일어나 그 시선을 따랐다.
[?]
[어?]
[?]
정적.
그것은 정적이었다.
순간 세계가 멈춘 듯 모든 움직임에 제어했고 강화된 내 육신조차도 버거운 듯 삐걱거렸다.
“…?!”
촤아아악!!
빛의 날개를 펼친다.
새하얀 신성이 내 몸에 스며들고 치유의 신성이 ‘주시’의 권능에서 벗어남과 동시에 천마를 기절시킨 후 챙겨 뒤로 물러난다.
삐이이이이이-!
물러나기 무섭게 광원의 여파가 나를 덮치며 내 영혼을 뒤흔든다.
천마를 빠르게 기절시키지 않았다면 위험할 뻔했다.
입가에 피가 고인다.
사체.
터져 죽은 5단계 분신 사체의 위로 불길한 눈이 솟아오른다.
“…천족. 찢어 죽일 천족…”
그것은 재해였다.
보기만 해도 신성이 소모되며 영혼을 비롯한 존재 자체가 깎여나가는 것이 여실히 느껴진다.
팔찌. 팔찌가 부족하다.
통할 리 없는 망치를 치켜세우며 눈을 노려본다.
“천족이 아닙니다.”
“릴리 엘브리트… 반쪽짜리 불량품…”
“헛소리.”
콰지직!!
크라켄의 눈에 막대한 신성을 담은 망치를 후려쳤다.
4차 상태의 폭발적인 위력과 함께 눈이 크게 밀려나며 내 시야에서 벗어난다.
하지만 어디까지나 4차 상태다.
치유의 신성을 담아 후려쳐봤자 적에게 그 어떠한 피해도 줄 수 없다.
‘3차로는 어림도 없다.’
“가죠.”
팔찌의 소유자가 너무 부족하다.
지금 상태로는 무리다.
나는 곧장 날았고 그 뒤로 불길한 눈은 계속해서 나를 주시했다.
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