The power transmitted from a distance, barely sketched by my sensing ability, was weak.
It merely twisted the trajectory of the spear that was extending straight.
But the result approached lethally.
Shwaak-!
Blood droplets of Brunhilde scattered from the tip of the great sword.
The spear that had pierced my waist vanished, allowing blood to flow down.
Hah.
Brunhilde’s spear fell downward.
Thud- Crack-
Brunhilde’s spear, which had barely dangled from my left arm, completely tore it away, causing her to grimace.
“I thought you were tough. Guess not.”
Her left arm, now falling to the ground, ignited fiercely. Ashes with a dense smell floated in the air.
At the same time, the divine power violently surged into my side. The divine power piercing through the holes started to burn Brunhilde’s magical power, healing my own wounds.
An almost dizzying pain enveloped my entire body.
Grinding my teeth, I barely held onto Frey as if I wanted to crush it, clutching my sanity.
Brunhilde alternated her gaze between my gradually healing body and her own body, which still had a severed left arm that wouldn’t regenerate.
“That sneaky shaman girl burned the severed part with divine power already.”
Stripping away the bone armor surrounding her body, Brunhilde shoved the bones into the severed area.
Crack- The differently shaped bones piercing her left arm intertwined, broke, and regenerated to form a complete arm. Clack- Clack- The unpleasant sound of mismatched bones scraping against each other. A new spear hung on the hastily assembled arm.
My wound on the side also finished healing. The residual magical power of Brunhilde irritated my nerves, but it was bearable.
But.
“Your expression doesn’t look like a psychological game. Seems you didn’t expect this either, huh?”
Just as Brunhilde said.
Unexpected help kept me dumbfounded.
I merely wanted a bit sturdier ground and the protection of divine power so that my body wouldn’t be completely severed.
I never dreamed I would receive such immense help.
It was a fleeting moment. A decision made in a time that transcended perception, divided into hundreds of pieces over a single second. An impulsive action executed immediately.
Yet, someone slipped through that nonsensical gap to assist me, as if they knew the future.
…I’m not sure, but the most suspicious person in this situation is—
Whew—
It felt like the urgency urged me to put off useless thoughts for later.
With time running short, a desperate wind of the spirit rustled through my hair.
Following its intent, I steadied my breath and focused on the situation before me.
About seven minutes remained.
The wind that blew in every moment scattered Rubia’s hair. With each gust, waves of divine power surged downward.
It must be conveying the information about the battlefield to Rubia through the spirit’s eyes. Rubia must be healing the injured accordingly.
But it seemed like that was nearing its limit.
The denser divine power and intensified wind indicated that the situation wasn’t favorable.
Ser’s work was also nearing completion.
Time was running out.
Only one successful attack had been made in three minutes out of ten. And that was only achievable with the help of my comrades.
Of course, if I go all out, I’m confident I can win within ten minutes. But if I reveal everything I have, it might jeopardize my fight against Laila.
Right now, I must choose the best number I can bring out.
A way to land a blow while breaking through Brunhilde’s relentless offense.
Without using all of my strength.
A choice that allows me to give flesh and take bone.
‘Carpen.’
[Okay!]
Carpen, without a moment’s hesitation, responded to my thoughts.
[Are you sure? Rubia is behind you, though, is it necessary?]
‘…Because pain might dull my body… this is the best method.’
[That’s true. Then don’t get too carried away, just do enough.]
Carpen reluctantly acknowledged my opinion with a sigh.
I wasn’t satisfied with the choice, but I had no other option.
The most efficient approach in this situation is to erase all pain and heal all wounds using the life force from both my and my enemy’s blood.
It was only Carpen’s thirst.
Once the thirst is quenched, aftereffects will come, but I don’t need to worry about that if I end it.
I just need to start the battle with Laila before that happens.
Hah…
I steadied my breath.
Sharp ice sliced through my body. Feathers imbued with magical energy ripped at my skin. The intensifying blood aura erased the pain.
My heart began to race.
The blood within me stirred like crazy.
Emotions surged.
My body felt hot.
A dizzying pleasure washed over me, as if dozens of needles were poking my throat.
The thirst was palpable.
“Tough, indeed.”
Brunhilde’s expression changed dramatically at my sudden shift. At the same time, my body had already arrived right before Brunhilde. I swung Frey, feeling the swish- as it tore through her skin.
I didn’t stop, reaching out my left hand to rip apart Brunhilde’s split flesh. The blood aura twisted the muscle. I forcibly caught my right arm, swinging Frey again to slashes her body.
Shmphh- Blood followed the great sword. The bleeding from Brunhilde’s skin soaked my neck. It intensified my emotions, making my heart grip tight.
Behind Brunhilde, countless spear-like protrusions made of bones shot forth. Beside them surged a maelstrom of spears, knees, flames, and countless summoned beasts charging from the ground.
The scattered chill pushed back the flames. Feathers swirling in the air stuck to the bodies of the summoned beasts, inducing a curse of instant death. The blood aura that burst out in all directions obliterated them.
Crack- The fired spear embedded itself in my limbs. The relentless spear pierced my side. The magical power bursting from within shook my whole being.
Using the blood aura, I withdrew the spear lodged in my body. I reached out my left hand to grasp the spear that had penetrated my side. Focusing all my strength into my right hand, I shot Frey forward. Wham- Spear-like shields that emerged in an instant shattered as Frey plunged into Brunhilde’s shoulder.
I kicked her abdomen while trying to grasp Frey, creating distance. The great sword pulled free, dripping my blood all over my body. I licked the droplet of blood that flowed thickly on my lips. Feeling the power surging again, I immediately lunged at Brunhilde once more.
The thickly blooming blood flower decorated the sky. It followed behind me. Upon reaching Brunhilde’s body, it blossomed even more vividly.
In the clash of attacks without yielding an inch, there was no intricate nerve warfare. There was no distinction between feints and real attacks. Brunhilde and I only launched our assaults.
I offered my left shoulder and grasped the spear. I then swung Frey, severing Brunhilde’s shoulder. When the spear pierced her abdomen, I shredded her belly with claws made of blood aura.
The sharp tip of the spear grazed her carotid artery.
My teeth sunk into Brunhilde’s nape.
Countless spears struck into my entire body.
I jabbed Frey in.
Flesh tore.
Bones crumbled.
Arms broke.
I pulled out the stretched legs.
The blood aura seeped into my wounds.
Rubia’s divine power burrowed into Brunhilde’s wounds.
My condition was forcibly maintained at its peak.
Brunhilde’s vitality was gradually diminishing.
Faster.
Harder.
Fiercer.
More determined.
More.
More.
More.
Only two minutes remained.
Brunhilde’s armor left no traces behind.
Not one of her limbs was intact; they were all replaced with hastily made bones. Her breath grew ragged. Her magical power became disordered.
But the pitch-black flame burned even more fiercely. The wings extending from her back spread wide, as if to cover the sky.
The relentless onslaught intensified without a moment’s rest.
She wouldn’t bend.
She wouldn’t fall.
She wouldn’t stagger or flee.
Even if dragging the fight longer could be to her advantage.
Brunhilde charged even more ferociously.
She took my attacks.
She extended her arm. She swung her spear. She unleashed her magical power. She flapped her wings. She threw her entire body at me.
She was pouring her all into this fight.
For what?
Just like the beings that seeped into my soul.
For a goal she could not achieve.
For a past that had scattered and vanished.
For the wishes turned to ashes.
To give that all.
To test me.
In that case.
So will I.
Bzhh—! I unleashed my blood aura, creating distance.
Steadying my breath, I suppressed the rising thirst.
“Aha, you’re finally going to show it. Then, I’ll show you too. The path I have walked. My works that crumbled under regret and defeat.”
A lament filled with joy echoed through the world, brimming with frenzied regret.
“What I desired was the ‘end’ of the war, of everything that tormented the world.”
Ignoring Brunhilde who quietly whispered while looking at me, I concentrated my mind.
“Therefore, I chose to walk the path of the most heinous.”
At the end of the seemingly endless abyss.
Connected to my soul that slept there.
I reached out my hand toward ‘that.’
“And at the end of the path I took. What I chose was.”
At the same time.
The deathly magical power that constituted her erupted forth.
“What I desired was.”
The absorbed blood, the souls drawn forth surged up.
“Neither to follow the contemptible sky nor resist it.”
The road taken.
The forgotten past.
The achievements of the past.
The rage that extended to the very sky.
“To shatter the sky.”
The flames of a hero who reigned over an era.
The flames of the most heinous.
“It declared—”
It surged violently.
“Break the heavens (破天).”
