Shake off the things grabbing at my ankles.
Deflect the blades thrusting from below.
Dodge the sharp-flying projectiles, and sprint towards the hilltop.
—
Despite having no arm, Hermila slaughtered the monsters with her remaining hand as if swatting flies.
Vishur, in stealth, swung his dagger, severing the monsters’ necks instead of wielding his broken rapier.
—
Besides the two of them, Ser‘s attacks were a calamity in itself for the monsters.
—
The land split wide like a dragon’s jaw, swallowing them whole, while a meteor shower without form fell from the sky, piercing through their heads with precision.
—
Yet, their numbers did not dwindle; in fact, they seemed to grow, and Hermila gritted her teeth at their horrifying regeneration.
—
“Just thinking about how many of those things might be out there… makes me dizzy.”
—
“Phew… didn’t you see such beings in the future, Hermila?”
—
“They existed. But… they weren’t this resilient. Huh-!”
—
Bang-! In an instant, Hermila took down dozens of monsters in one blow and continued,
—
“Moreover… they seem tougher than before. Their regeneration is faster. It wasn’t like this originally…”
—
She then fell silent, as if swallowing her words, looking down at the writhing waves of divine power.
—
Seeing her, Rubia sighed with a self-deprecating smile and spoke up.
—
“Does that mean… if divine power grows, their regeneration increases too?”
—
“Not… completely sure.”
—
“I wasn’t so certain before, but now I clearly understand. My divine power has grown every time the Monster of the End dies. Noah felt it too, right?”
—
Nodding while swinging Frey.
—
Just as Rubia said, her divine power increased abnormally every time she subjugated the Monster of the End.
—
And the amount of divine power pooling within her body expanded exponentially.
—
“And… with the strengthened divine power, it feels easy to control as if it was mine from the start.”
—
Rubia’s voice trembled.
Her grip on Frey tightened.
Her movements grew more erratic.
—
“So, to put it precisely…”
—
Rubia’s cracked smile appeared.
—
“It feels like I’m not getting stronger but rather completing myself. My body.”
—
Rumble-! The unleashed violent sword aura shook the air.
—
Hermila flinched and collected her breath, shaking her head.
—
“Nothing is certain. Moreover, no matter how tough those things are, it’s nothing I can’t kill easily…! So don’t overthink it. There’s a genius above too.”
—
Swish-! A sharp wind shot past, slicing the wrist reaching for our feet, grazing Hermila’s hair.
—
“Geniuses have sharp ears too, it seems.”
—
Zap- This time, lightning struck.
—
Rubia, watching the silly scene unfold right before her eyes, chuckled and summoned her divine power.
—
“Yes. But… no matter how that’s the case, there’s still a task at hand.”
—
[You see that expression?]
—
‘I can’t see your eyes…’
—
[Damn brat. Did you think I meant it that way?]
—
The sound of a tongue clicking echoed in my mind.
—
[You’re really doing something despicable.]
—
‘…I know.’
—
[You little shit… you really gotta treat me right, got it?]
—
‘Yes… I understand.’
—
[The brat understands… Huff. Alright. You must have a picture in mind… so yeah. It’s fine to do it. But what if it goes wrong?]
—
I swung Frey in irritation.
The violent sword energy released in the shape of emotions didn’t just slice the monsters; it created a massive crater by bursting through their ragged bodies.
—
‘It’s better for me to be wrong than Rubia to go wrong.’
—
Cartia’s deep sigh resounded.
—
[Do as you please, you cocky little brat.]
—
With those last words, Cartia’s voice faded away.
—
I shook off my thoughts and swung my sword recklessly at the oncoming foes, moving steadily toward the summit.
—
Finally, when we arrived at the top.
—
It wasn’t Ser’s calm and noble voice but rather a strained one that rang out.
—
“Stop standing there foolishly and run! Quickly!”
—
Boom-! The ground we ran on began to crumble.
—
Rubia’s hand grabbed my wrist, pulling me to run urgently.
—
Leading were Vishur and Hermila, clearing the path.
—
Ser, wobbling, pushed away the monsters trailing behind us.
—
We were almost there.
—
The deadly sword energy rushing to kill me vanished along with the veil of divine power.
—
Petals flowed from a headless body, swirling in the air, aiming to engulf us. Hundreds of wind spirits hovering above created a rough whirlwind pushing those petals away.
—
In the center of the magic circle formed beneath our feet, Hermila’s fist struck down. In the distance, Vishur’s dagger embedded itself into the head of the completed master lifting himself up.
—
Just a bit further.
—
Chop- The lethargic posture cleaved the belly of the crawling body.
Blood gushed from the split.
The flowing blood turned into flowers.
One flower, two flowers, three.
As the flowers bloomed incessantly, covering all the spilled blood,
—
Petals scattered.
—
The petals that gently covered the world flowed down and touched Vishur’s left arm.
Crunch- Without hesitation, Vishur, who tore off his own arm, turned around and shouted.
—
“Ugh… don’t touch the petals!”
—
Blood dripped from Vishur’s torn arm.
Those droplets transformed back into flowers, blooming and scattering.
—
Vishur, throwing away his dagger, pulled out a magical spellbook from his pocket and, with his teeth and remaining hand, tore it apart to ignite flames.
—
Then, he brought it to his left shoulder.
—
“Grrch… ugh…”
—
Fwoosh- Horrific sounds came as the burning shoulder ceased bleeding.
—
Catching her breath, Rubia, startled, set up a wide barrier of divine power.
—
Tap- Tap- The petals touching the barrier left tiny cracks as they scattered into the air.
—
Instantly, she expanded her awareness, painting the information around us.
—
The bodies of the monsters touched by the petals disintegrated without a trace. Holes were punctured, bodies twisted, torn, and obliterated.
—
From the spilled blood, another flower bloomed.
The flower is the petals.
—
Infinitely blooming flowers covered the entire world.
—
Defense held no meaning.
Neither the barrier of magical power nor living against the dead.
All things in this battlefield—people and equipment—died the instant they touched the petals.
—
Rubia, having surveyed her surroundings, seemed to grasp the situation and tightly pulled my hand into her arms.
—
“Noah, don’t let go.”
—
Crunch-
—
Then, a familiar sound resonated from her embrace.
—
[Ha! Damn it! You two are just the same! Perfect match! You crazy gals!]
—
Hearing Cartia’s voice spewing out years of pent-up rage, I quietly laughed.
—
I liked Rubia, who resembled me so much.
So grateful for the lie she told me.
Understanding better than anyone what kind of feelings she must have grappled with to make that decision.
Realizing what kind of responsibilities she was willing to bear.
—
Rubia was madly adorable.
So much so that I felt I could do anything for her.
—
My previously chaotic mind cleared up.
—
I nodded and slipped out of Rubia’s embrace.
—
And stepped lightly forward.
—
Towards the summit.
Towards the Temple of Memory.
—
Crash- The barrier of divine power cracked.
The tremendous force unleashed by Hermila pushed the petals away. The wind of overwhelming power enveloped us as it scattered the petals.
—
“Oh heavenly goddess!!”
—
A wretched cry rang out.
A shadow loomed over the earth.
—
“Your Apostle fervently beseeches you!!”
—
A dark light surrounded the petals.
A sticky energy descended over the earth.
—
“Grant me the strength to seize the neck of this heretic who dares to reach for the heavens!!”
—
In the remnants of the black sun marked by the sword’s groove, divine power shone upon the man.
—
“The cost will be! My all! Even a piece of my soul!”
—
In an instant.
The noisy battlefield became silent.
—
Hoohoo, I like it.
—
A familiar voice echoed.
—
“Ah! Aahhh!!!”
—
The man who heard that voice, with his inflated body behind him, head plunged into the belly that was splitting open, began ravenously consuming the insides.
—
A brief silence.
—
The signal cloaked our bodies in divine power.
—
Ser’s spirits began releasing all their energies towards the man.
The destructive force of Hermila, heightened to the limit, shot toward the man.
I, too, stood in front of Rubia, letting Frey hang back, holding on tightly.
—
Just before the spirits’ power reached the man.
—
Squash- The abominable figure, smeared in filth, raised its head.
—
Where there should have been eyes, mouths appeared.
Where there should have been a nose, mouths appeared.
Where there should have been ears, mouths appeared.
—
Mouths.
Mouths.
Mouths.
Mouths.
—
Teeth.
—
Crash- Crack- Squash-
—
The man’s body erupted open with wide mouths, and a gigantic beast’s jaw appeared behind him, opening wide.
—
In the sky.
In the air.
On the ground.
—
Identical jaws emerged and opened wide.
—
Within those gaping jaws, the promise of teeth.
An abyss gaping open filled with countless teeth.
—
And then, Crash-
—
The jaws snapped shut.
—
All the monsters that had been enveloping the battlefield vanished. The innumerable petals scattering in the air disappeared. Half of the earthen walls surrounding the Temple of Memory vanished.
—
Squash- Munch- Squash- Munch-
—
The mouths busily consumed the attacks shot from all directions by the spirits.
—
Once again. Crash crash crash- A colossal jaw emerged beneath the Temple of Memory, opening wide.
—
And thus.
—
The jaws.
—
Slowly.
—
Were about to close,
—
“Haaah!!!”
—
With a resounding roar from the sky.
—
Boom-!
—
The beast’s jaws, beginning to close, suddenly WAM! opened wide.
—
A huge figure.
Bulging muscles.
A prosthetic arm made of unidentifiable metal layered with countless magical circles.
Holding a halberd with that arm.
—
And.
—
“Hahaha! What are you all so scared of?”
—
A bald head.
—
Boom-
—
The colossal bell-like sound paralleled with gravity distorting the very space, widening the beast’s jaws even more.
—
“I came for an arm-wrestling match, kiddo! Hmm? But it seems you got even smaller, huh?”
—
“…H-Hinzel… Uncle…?”
—
“Hmm!”
—
Crash- The heavy metallic sound echoed with each movement of his arm.
—
“How is it, kiddo! Cool, huh?”
—
“W-Wait, Hinzel, what on earth is that arm?”
—
“Oh! Rubia, my lady! I ordered this to win an arm-wrestling match against the kiddo! How do you like it? Does it look stronger than before?”
—
Crash crash crash-
—
As Hinzel flexed and swung his arms, shouting.
—
“Looks stronger? More like it’s freaking insane! Now hurry up and kill that monster, you bald-headed maniac!”
—
A fierce voice rang out.
It was Charlotte.
—
“You’ve certainly wasted your age.”
—
Yuria.
—
And then.
—
“Protect the Temple of Memory!”
—
““AAAHHH!!!””
—
Following Jur’s voice, hundreds of people ran.
—
“Finally… we’ve arrived.”
—
Hermila let out a sigh of relief, loosening the tension in her shoulders.
—
“What is this…?”
—
“It’s the subjugation squad dispatched to Ursphere.”
—
Sauntering down the roots was Yuria, who gasped in astonishment.
—
“And they’re the kind souls who came with Ursphere to protect you, Noah.”
—
In the now-quiet battlefield, noise began echoing once more.
—
“For Noah! From Ursphere?”
—
“Yeah. They went absolutely wild, saying they’d smash Erden for designating Noah as a heretic. So we had no choice but to bring them along.”
—
Tears rolled down from my tightly shut eyes.
—
“They… might die…”
—
“No. If you hadn’t been here, we’d have been dead already. So it’s only natural for us to risk our lives for the one who saved us, Noah.”
—
Revuze, who hurriedly came down from the roots, kneeled and bowed her head toward me.
—
“I, Revuze, will protect you with my soul till it extinguishes.”
—
“…U-uh…”
—
“Kuhaha! Kiddo! You should be laughing, not crying! Smile!”
—
Crash- Crash- A gigantic hand patted my back.
With that, the droplets that had gathered in my eyes were dropped with a plop.
—
“Ah… um…”
—
“Noah, Rubia, even if reinforcements arrive, don’t let your guard down. They might have also called for reinforcements.”
—
Ser, light-footed as he stepped over the spirits’ heads, shifted his gaze between me and Rubia.
—
“Ugh… Ugh…”
—
Using my tattered sleeves to wipe my tears, I nodded.
—
“I’ll open the way with me and the bald guy, so Yuria, just connect the path with your roots. And… we’ll hit the mage tower—”
—
“Just call me Ser. You can speak comfortably. Charlotte, the Third Princess.”
—
“Ugh, seriously. Princess my ass. Just call me Charlotte. Anyway, Ser, you… yeah, I trust you’ll handle it well.”
—
“Indeed.”
—
Charlotte’s head whipped around.
—
“And also, Hermila. What’s with that arm?”
—
“I was envious of Hinzel’s prosthetic, so I wanted to change mine too. Hehe.”
—
“Kuhaha! You got it, Hermila! You understand the arm’s coolness!”
—
Crash- Crash-
—
“Quit the nonsense and follow me, bald head.”
—
“Hmm! I still haven’t properly talked to the kiddo.”
—
“Ugh, seriously. You can do that after this!”
—
“Hmm… Kiddo, will you talk to me after this is all over?”
—
Hinzel, looking down at me from above with his naturally moving prosthetic, spoke in a slightly deflated tone.
—
“W-Will do… we still need to finish our arm-wrestling, you know?”
—
“Oh! Haha! That sounds good! Awesome!!”
—
Hinzel, cheerfully smiling, gave my shoulder another pat and turned away.
—
“Go on, kiddo. You must come back, no matter what.”
—
“Let’s go. Vishur, you come along too.”
—
“Ah, I’m honored, Princess Charlotte.”
—
As Hermila turned to look at us, watching the other group move away.
—
“Now, just trust us and leave this place to us.”
—
“…Okay.”
—
Crack- As soon as Rubia’s answer ended, the roots leading to the Temple of Memory rose up.
—
Cra-cra-cra-cra-
—
A massive jaw opened beneath it.
—
Boom-
—
Hinzel’s unique ability once again stood in the way.
—
“I must go too. Be off quickly.”
—
Hermila smiled tenderly at us as she turned around and took her leave. With each step she took, the force of destruction surged and blazed fiercer.
—
Rubia and I also climbed up the roots, heading towards the Temple of Memory.
—
Thud- Thud-
—
Ten steps ahead.
—
At this rate, I felt at ease.
—
Eight steps.
—
Even if the Monster of the End leapt out, it wouldn’t be a problem.
—
Five steps.
—
So,
—
Four steps.
—
I could, without fear,
—
Three steps.
—
Leave Rubia behind.
—
Two steps.
—
I could go.
—
One step.
—
Crunch-
—
As the familiar sound echoed, I released Rubia’s hand and removed the Cartia bracelet and the Shinrok bracelet, placing them on her wrist.
—
Thud- Clank-
—
“…Huh?”
—
Thanks to the power of Cartia’s bracelet containing my energy and the sealing properties of Shinrok’s bracelet, Rubia slumped down, having her strength taken away.
—
As expected.
Her hand held shackles.
—
“Hehe… I was faster.”
—
Then, I leaned over to kiss her lips, whispering,
—
“Rubia doesn’t need to sacrifice herself.”
—
“Noah…? Wait a moment! Noah*…!”
—
“Cartia, I’ll depend on you.”
—
Turning my back, I drew the great sword at my waist.
—
“I love you a lot, Rubia.”
—
And then I leaped into the Temple of Memory, swinging the great sword with all my might.
—
Vrooooooom-!
—
With the enormous sound, the Temple of Memory crumbled away.
—
Familiar scenery appeared.
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