Chapter: 156
Facing the oncoming storm of black flames, Kraush was gripping his sword and gasping for breath.
He had reached the Malignant Heaven with the help of the Annihilation Erosion’s ten seconds and the instant-strengthening elixir.
Having felt it before, the toll on his body was painfully evident.
But Kraush held onto his sanity with immense mental strength.
At the same time, he summoned Nox and the Eye Doll, forcibly suppressing the Piercing Death and Frenzy.
‘This is something I need to keep applying in real battles moving forward.’
He couldn’t afford to fall after every fight.
Once the war broke out for real, dragging on, a one-off awakening could spell danger.
So, Kraush determined to endure, even if just for one more chance to fight.
In that moment, his eyes, half-closed, suddenly gleamed as he focused ahead.
Simultaneously, through the black flames, a sword was being thrust directly at his head.
Blood Razor.
The sword used by the Gladiator.
Just as Kraush hurriedly summoned Rain Thunder Prime to wield his sword again…
KABOOM! BAM! KABOOM!
Giant swords plunged into the ground before Kraush, forcibly halting the Blood Razor.
Those swords were none other than the Emperor’s Destruction Swords.
The secret weapon of King Rai Balheim.
Beyond those Emperor’s Destruction Swords, the furious face of Gladiator appeared.
One arm was mangled, his body burned more than halfway, and blood was dripping from his wounds.
His eyes were ablaze with rage.
He simply couldn’t accept the state he was in.
Yet, instead of being consumed by his fury, he maintained a certain calmness.
Deep down, he understood.
If Rai and Sena launched a coordinated attack now, he wouldn’t stand a chance.
Especially with the potential threat of Ebelasque starting to loom.
Above all, there was Kraush, the one who had put him in this condition.
For Gladiator, the most dangerous threat at that moment was none other than Kraush.
Because he didn’t know that Kraush was at his limit.
Kraush showed not a hint of weakness as he raised Rain Thunder Prime.
Just that act alone made Gladiator’s expression warp in fear, and his body shrank back.
It was proof that his body remembered the recent attack.
“…Who are you? I’ve never heard of anyone like you among the World Eroders.”
As expected, just like with Ebelasque and the Armed Princess, Gladiator recognized Kraush as a World Eroder.
Seeing the wariness in his eyes, Kraush couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.
He never thought he could take him down right from the start.
‘But I thought I could at least break him enough so he can’t move.’
Kraush poured all his energy into using Malignant Heaven.
But even after putting in that much effort, Gladiator showed no signs of falling.
In the first place, if it hadn’t been for Haring’s Invisible and Sena’s assistance, he would’ve never gotten Gladiator in that state.
He must’ve dodged right away.
‘In the beginning, I was aiming for his neck, but it was his arm that got hit.’
Just from a bad feeling alone, Gladiator managed to detect the Invisible spell and avoided it.
That’s why fighting a World Eroder was just a no-go.
They were all literal monsters.
Kraush felt the wide gap between himself and the World Eroder.
Not yet.
He still had a long way to go.
He had to grow stronger.
Fire ignited in Kraush’s eyes.
The world is full of beings like Gladiator.
On top of that, there were the Ultimate Eroders born from the spreading World Erosion.
These Ultimates were hell on Earth, even defeating the Sky Generations of the past.
It was Kraush’s duty to block those from bringing about an apocalypse.
Perhaps that’s why his will reignited fiercely.
“Kraush!”
Haring rushed over to his side, having finally found her footing.
With a dagger in hand, she stood trembling.
That trembling was one of rage.
Because the Gladiator, as seen through her eyes, evoked memories of that fateful day.
But she held her ground.
She promised Kraush she wouldn’t lose herself to anger.
“You good?”
Kraush asked, pretending to be calm as he caught his breath.
Haring nodded slowly.
The reason her brother was murdered during the Lagrain incident was because of the Gladiator.
Yet Haring’s face was calmer than ever.
“Because we promised earlier.”
She had mulled over her vow to control her hatred after calming down earlier with Kraush.
She had to repay him for the debt she owed.
So as long as he was there, she could find peace.
“And above all, Kraush got a hit in.”
Her eyes glinted as she glared at the Gladiator’s arm.
She savored being able to participate, even slightly, in her revenge.
It was only natural since she had carried resentment towards the Gladiator her entire life.
“Yeah, as long as you don’t get blinded by vengeance, you’ll be fine.”
Kraush had seen countless souls consumed by revenge over the years.
With that level of control, Haring should manage just fine.
In that instant, Gladiator began to stir again, prompting the Emperor’s Destruction Sword into action.
As the swords came crashing down to bind him, Gladiator frantically focused on evasion.
No matter how strong he was, having taken a direct hit from both Sena’s attack and Kraush’s strike meant he was in rough shape.
Clearly, Gladiator’s body was slower now than before.
But that didn’t mean they could box him in yet.
“Kraush.”
Rai, who had approached unannounced, called out.
Kraush glanced at the relentless Emperor’s Destruction Sword and warned Rai.
“Brother Rai, we can’t keep fighting Gladiator.”
“What do you mean?”
“He possesses a peculiar trait. The more he fights strong opponents, the stronger the World Erosion becomes.”
The power of World Erosion was still growing.
Even now, Hardenhartz was in danger.
Rai’s expression darkened.
It seemed he hadn’t known that fact until Kraush mentioned it.
“…Hardenhartz has One Sword.”
Rai’s eyes glinted ominously.
“If it’s them, there’s no problem.”
That meant he intended to keep fighting Gladiator.
“No, that’s not the case. The One Sword can’t withstand a World Erosion.”
Kraush rejected Rai’s assertion.
The more One Sword exerted its full power, the more Hardenhartz would become a wreck.
Moreover, there were more than just the main enemy.
If the lesser Eroders strengthened, it would be up to the residents of Hardenhartz to bear the consequences.
“Besides, he’ll be running away soon.”
“…He’s going to escape?”
“Yeah, his objective has already been achieved. I heard that from the Night Ravens leader who was on the same side as him.”
Rai’s gaze flickered.
After all, the declaration from earlier implied that Kraush was connected to the World Eroders.
“He acted independently for that reason, huh.”
And it seemed Rai had caught on to Kraush leaving the Hardenhartz main building alone.
With unfocused eyes, Rai stared at Kraush.
Kraush wasn’t particularly tied to Rai.
He simply knew this was his character.
He focused on securing his own interests.
No matter what, if it meant securing an advantage, he would go along with it.
That was who Rai was.
So, Kraush had deliberately revealed this information.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Kraush confirmed with confidence.
Gladiator loved to battle strong foes.
Yet, when his life was in danger, he’d run away at a moment’s notice.
That contradiction irked Kraush.
He would tirelessly escape whenever World Erosion erupted.
And on top of that, he had the Black Witch supporting him.
If the Black Witch whisked him away to her independent space, it would be game over.
But for Kraush, that was an opportunity.
He was confident he could tie up the Black Witch’s attention.
All he needed was one means to finish Gladiator off.
‘I’m lacking in output.’
Kraush’s gaze shifted toward Rai.
“Brother Rai.”
Slowly raising Rain Thunder Prime.
His body trembled from the toll of using Malignant Heaven.
It wasn’t just hard to maintain appearances; it was a difficult task altogether.
“You have something you received from the head family, right?”
There was one sword that Rai received when Kraush was born.
With that sword, it just might be possible.
Rai’s eyebrows twitched, as if to say, “How do you know about that?”
But the intensity in Rai’s gaze soon mellowed.
He wasn’t the type to drag out questions for long.
“Let’s do it.”
There was no time to be picky about what they used now.
If they lost the opportunity to catch Gladiator here, they might never get another chance.
“…That sword isn’t completed yet.”
Even when he received it at Kraush’s birth, the sword still remained unfinished.
It meant it was quite the troublesome sword to finish.
“But that means it can still be used.”
Kraush knew through his own eyes that its destructive potential was extraordinary.
Rai looked at Kraush with a penetrating gaze.
Only 15 years old.
The youngest in the Balheim family, who even had a rumor of being half-baked until recently.
Even Rai, who had no love for his family, cared little for the second sibling, Lilish.
Was it because of that?
Rai, with his nature, took an objective look at Kraush’s potential in this situation.
He could see that, despite gradually depleting energy, the output he had shown earlier was impressive enough to catch Rai’s attention.
He wasn’t even close to being on par with Charlotte, and yet someone his age could show this much output was shocking.
Could Kraush fulfill his role here?
Naturally, it wasn’t even a question he needed to ponder.
Kraush was a direct descendant of Balheim.
Balheim wasn’t the sort of family that would overlook talent just because of age or position.
“Bind him for sure.”
Rai’s eyes, colored similarly to Kraush’s, sparkled with anticipation toward Gladiator.
“I’ll take care of the rest.”
Kraush smiled at Rai’s most trustworthy promise.
“Haring, pass me the Red Tiger’s Pill.”
Kraush reached out toward Haring.
Haring looked at Kraush with reluctance.
She didn’t want to hand over the Red Tiger’s Pill at all.
Though her nemesis, Gladiator, was right there, she didn’t want to see Kraush in pain either.
But in the end, she opened the pouch of her determination.
“Kraush.”
As she pressed the Red Tiger’s Pill into his hand, she said, “Let’s win.”
Haring’s eyes sparkled with clarity, unclouded by personal revenge but simply wishing for victory alongside Kraush.
Seeing that, Kraush lightly smiled as he tossed the Red Tiger’s Pill into his mouth.
“Of course.”
A smile crept onto Haring’s lips.
It was the most reassuring answer for her above all else.
[Will you be able to handle it?]
In that very moment, concerned about what Kraush was planning, Crimson Garden spoke up, worried.
“You didn’t come all the way here if you weren’t planning to handle it.”
CRUNCH!
Kraush bit down on the Red Tiger’s Pill and swallowed it.
His body, once creaking from Malignant Heaven, began to regain its vigor.
The almost collapsed body experienced a brief revival.
However, this respite wouldn’t last long.
“Haring.”
He called out to Haring, who wrapped herself around his waist.
It was to prepare for Invisible use.
“It’s going to be hotter than last time.”
“I’m fine, I’ll manage anything.”
Reliable indeed.
Kraush looked over at Sena.
She nodded, indicating she would join at any moment.
“Brother Rai, we’ll intercept his escape.”
The black flames began swirling around Kraush’s body.
Starting to temper his body, which had momentarily recovered through the Red Tiger’s Pill.
It was a sight that revealed he wasn’t worried about the consequences he might face later on.
Kraush already knew how to stop the Black Witch from aiding Gladiator.
‘Ignis.’
A significant time passed after Belorkin was killed by Charlotte.
In the twelfth year of the life of Rai Balheim, son of the sword master, he gained Ignis.
And there had been a major incident at Balheim, where Ixion attempted to abduct his son.
At that time, Balheim’s fury turned toward Ixion, and the result was a full-blown war that Ixion could never have fathomed.
Kraush clearly recalled that moment, clenching his fist tight.
With the power of purification that Ignis possessed, he could extract the purest force of World Erosion.
For the beings attempting to create a god, Ignis was a skill they couldn’t afford to miss.
And now, that skill belonged to Kraush.
‘I’ll definitely catch him.’
He could serve as the perfect bait to lure Ixion.
[Smash that body. Break it!]
Crimson Garden applauded Kraush’s indomitable spirit.
“Let’s make sure to corner him.”
As Haring activated her Invisible, Kraush’s figure vanished.
Now it’s time to drop some black stars down.
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