Chapter 15
The thought kept creeping into his mind: Could it really be Charlotte’s technique?
Even so, there was a nagging feeling deep within his heart.
Thud!
Once again, the sound of the Thousand-Faced Demon’s footsteps echoed, leaving him with no time to think.
“If we fail, it’s the end for both you and me.”
“Yes, so you need to distract him until I’m ready, Hyung.”
“Ugh, this is so annoying.”
In the end, Belorkin decided to place his bet on Kraush.
He resolved to forget everything else and just focus on surviving.
Thud!
The footsteps started to come closer, the interval shortening.
This was clear evidence that the Thousand-Faced Demon was right on their heels.
“I’m ready.”
At that moment, Kraush drew the sword he had brought along.
His eyes closed, and a moment later, a glow began to rise from his entire body.
Kraush was entering a state of synchronization with his sword—a level of mastery.
Witnessing this, Belorkin’s eyes shook with surprise.
Drip, drip!
The pouring rain and the swamp that reached his waist… and the looming presence of the Thousand-Faced Demon closing in.
Despite all these distractions, Kraush’s focus sharpened immediately.
What concentration!
How can it be this intense?
Belorkin suddenly felt the rapid pounding of his own heart.
A bad premonition began to creep up from his gut.
And soon after, that feeling was confirmed.
From Kraush’s sword, a brilliant blue aura bloomed.
At first, it was just a small glimmer.
But gradually, the aura layering over the sword left Belorkin in awe.
The amount of aura was not particularly large.
It barely reached the level of a low-tier expert.
Yet the quality was on a completely different dimension.
This transparent aura was something he felt he could never achieve even after decades of training, yet it was contained solely in Kraush’s sword.
That state of being was so transcendental, it blew Belorkin’s mind and left him utterly bewildered.
Even if this was some technique learned from Charlotte, how on earth could he do this?
His heart began to race again.
No, this can’t be happening.
I can’t let this happen…
“Hyung.”
As he felt his limbs turn numb and the color drain from his face, Kraush’s voice reached him.
In Kraush’s wide blue eyes, there was only calmness.
“Please.”
And the moment Belorkin realized what that request was, he raised his hand.
“Y-yeah.”
It was the moment Belorkin fused his Ignis with Kraush’s aura.
The blue flames erupted, so much clearer and brighter than anything he had ever summoned.
The blaze seemed ready to incinerate anything in its path, making Belorkin feel incredibly small in comparison.
Thud! Thud!
In that moment, the Thousand-Faced Demon emerged through the pouring rain.
Its immense size alone was enough to instill fear.
Could he really buy enough time?
Just then, Kraush’s voice broke through Belorkin’s growing tension.
“Hyung, it’s okay.”
“What?” Belorkin was startled.
“There’s more than enough time, so you don’t need to distract him anymore.”
Hearing his words, Belorkin felt something heavy drop in his chest.
Kraush may have said that just to alleviate his worry, but it felt almost like he was saying he had no need for him at all.
Belorkin realized that all he had done was bestow a divine power skill onto Kraush.
Even that power wasn’t his own; it was just the god’s.
So what was he doing here, then?
As those thoughts flooded his mind, Kraush’s sword slowly lifted above his head.
Belorkin’s gaze followed it upward.
The sword, containing Ignis, did not lose its glow even in the torrential rain, burning vibrantly.
The flames were consuming brightly, contrasting sharply with Belorkin as he stood there, drenched and pathetic.
That sword would surely strike down the Thousand-Faced Demon.
It had enough power contained within.
But what would happen to him the moment that sword sliced through the demon?
Belorkin had done nothing against the Thousand-Faced Demon; all he had done was cower and flee.
But Kraush was about to take it down with his own strength.
That meant…
That meant…
He was proving that he was beneath Kraush!
Ah, no!
Belorkin’s lips trembled, turning a pale shade of blue from the rain.
No, please let him not defeat it.
Don’t defeat the Thousand-Faced Demon!
Just as he longed to remember the will to survive, despair dropped from the sky like a heavy weight.
One slash…
The moment Kraush’s sword came down, the pouring rain ceased.
Drip, drip, drip…
And when the downpour finally resumed,
Crack!
A sound of something splitting echoed clearly.
As Belorkin’s vision slowly shifted forward, he saw the Thousand-Faced Demon, sliced cleanly in half.
It could do nothing as the flames engulfed it from the diagonal cut that had begun.
The moment he witnessed that, Belorkin’s heart shattered as well.
Thunk!
He collapsed to the ground without realizing it.
The whole world seemed to indicate that he was below Kraush.
“Hyung, it’s okay now.”
At that moment, Kraush’s voice rang clearly in his ears.
With the Demon’s death recognized, the rain gradually subsided, and the swamp began to shrink.
As sunlight broke through the clouds, it illuminated Kraush’s face, showcasing a brightness that seemed almost radiant.
It was no longer the face of a half-wit.
This was the face of someone moving forward.
In stark contrast, Belorkin’s face was hidden in the shadow below him.
“Ha, ha.”
A hollow chuckle escaped his lips.
Then, slowly, Belorkin began to lift his body.
His head swirled with thoughts, but one thing became clear.
Kraush had surpassed him.
And the biggest disgrace of Balheim was none other than himself.
In that realization, Belorkin gripped his sword firmly.
Kraush was clearly exhausted from just that one strike.
Belorkin could easily sense that it had been a full-powered attack.
“Die!”
Without hesitation, Belorkin swung his sword toward Kraush’s neck.
The twisted smile on his broken face was that of someone ready to extinguish the little brother aiming to bring him down.
Clang!
But what he felt was the clash of blades, not the sensation of severing Kraush’s throat.
“Ha ha, urgh.”
In that instant, an awkward laughter reached Belorkin’s ears.
As his gaze shifted towards Kraush, he saw the latter looking back at him with a cruel smile.
“Belorkin, I really appreciate that you haven’t changed at all.”
Although he couldn’t comprehend those words, Belorkin understood.
Something black was rising from Kraush’s body.
“What the?!”
When the stunned Belorkin instinctively withdrew his sword to ignite his Ignis again, he found nothing igniting.
Realizing that, his eye widened in shock while Kraush laughed mischievously.
“Looking for this?”
In that moment, a dark flame ignited from Kraush’s sword, wrapping around its black energy.
Belorkin’s eyes widened in realization.
“What the hell did you do?!”
As Belorkin shouted, panicked, Kraush shook the water from his wet hair.
Then, as if nothing was wrong, he swung the sword toward Belorkin.
Slash!
Caught off guard by Kraush’s use of Ignis, Belorkin allowed an unexpected attack to connect.
“AAAH!”
That caused a deep gash in his chest, and Belorkin tumbled to the ground amidst the black flames.
“Kraush, you know what? When I was young, I really wanted to get along with my siblings.”
While he screamed in agony, Kraush began to walk unhurriedly to where the Thousand-Faced Demon had been.
“That’s the thing though, no matter how hard I tried, you just couldn’t stand me, could you? All thanks to that pathetic pride of yours.”
Then, Kraush sliced off one of the fingers from the cursed hand of the Thousand-Faced Demon.
With the finger stuck to his sword, he began to walk back toward Belorkin.
“Still, being related to you, I had a glimmer of hope. Like you would eventually acknowledge and embrace your little brother.”
Through the pain, Belorkin could clearly hear Kraush’s voice.
“But thankfully…”
Finally, when Kraush stood right in front of him, he smiled at Belorkin, just as he had at the start.
“You never chose that option.”
And at the opening of Belorkin’s mouth, the Thousand-Faced Demon’s finger was shoved inside.
“Ugh, ugh!”
As the finger forced its way into Belorkin’s mouth, he screamed.
Yet Kraush merely looked down at him coldly.
Moments later, Belorkin realized his last eye was fading away.
In that realization, he started thrashing desperately, but it was already too late.
His eye, nose, and mouth all disappeared completely.
“Cough, huff!”
Sounds echoed from his throat.
As he rolled on the ground, gasping desperately for air, he began to choke.
“Is it painful?” Kraush observed him without a hint of laughter.
“When you burned my face, I was rolling around just like this.”
On that day, when Belorkin seared his own arm, he deprived Kraush of the ability to keep his eyes open until the Saint healed him.
Thus, Kraush had given no indication of lending aid to Belorkin.
Slowly, Belorkin’s breath faltered as he gasped for air.
“Ugh, ugh…”
Krkk!
The sounds of his breath began to fade away, and as his final breath escaped,
Kraush exhaled lightly and gazed at the sky.
The clear sky, free from rain, was bluer than one could imagine.
Unfortunately, his heart may not find any similar clarity, even if the clouds lifted.
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