―grrrr!
A terrible disaster unfolded, sparked by the scythe of life swung in the shape of a full moon. Water, fire, wind, earth, light, darkness. The powers of all the spirits crashed together and rushed towards the Nameless One.
Soon, the roots of Yggdrasil that shot up from the ground tangled around the whole body of the Nameless One. The flowers that bloomed there absorbed and froze the surrounding magical power, causing the very space itself to come to a standstill.
“Hmm.”
Yet, it made no difference.
“Who do you think this ability originated from, Laila?”
thud– The moment the Nameless One’s foot touched the ground, everything disappeared.
“Moreover, do you really think I’m staying here because of you?”
[Don’t get cocky!]
Still, Laila did not stop.
Even if her power was derived from the Nameless One, even if all her attacks ended in futility. Laila’s assault clung stubbornly to the Nameless One’s steps.
Because that was the only action she could take.
The only action she could perform.
“Don’t get cocky, huh?”
tap – The Nameless One, with a smirk, took a step toward Laila.
“Did you think I wouldn’t know what you’re plotting?”
Amidst the rampaging spirits, the Nameless One’s voice was calm.
An air of elegance flowed through their movements, and their beautiful features remained untouched by the slightest speck of dust, wandering around.
“If you thought that, you’d be very upset. I was the one who cared about you all more than anyone else. That means you didn’t realize that.”
Brilliant light burst forth. Eight pairs of wings spread wide. Within that, the once brilliant divine power poured out less brightly.
“Ah… well, what can you do? The one who loves more must endure. So, I’ll endure, Laila. Because I love you all so much.”
A lovely smile. A charming laugh.
The divine power that surged up with that smile broke the branches of Yggdrasil. It rotted the trunk. It drained the life force from the spirits, wilting the flowers, and eventually.
crack –
[Kuh, ugh…]
The branch of Yggdrasil pierced through Laila’s whole body. The greenness of the foliage faded away. The life force of Yggdrasil flowed into the Nameless One.
The sequence of events unfolded so naturally. For the life force that the Monster of the End, Laila, possessed originally belonged to the Nameless One.
“I used a somewhat rough method, so let me confess one secret, huheh. It’s not like I knew everything you were doing. I knew you would reveal everything to the world like this. I never imagined that in this moment, you would burn it all away.”
tap– tap– The Nameless One walked closer to the now dimming Tree of Life, gently lifting Laila’s chin.
“Now then, Laila. I asked before, but let me ask again. Why was I just watching your mischievous tricks? Why am I still just watching?”
As they raised Laila’s face, the fingertips of the Nameless One drifted past her gaze.
They gazed upon the red moon and terror of hell.
“Because I’m curious. I’m really curious. A variable created by the rival, how it will affect this world. My world, and what results it will provoke.”
crunch– snap –
Laila’s fist clenched tight. The roots of Yggdrasil armed with her will twisted and pulled at her limbs. This freed Laila from the shackles of divine power. She immediately bit her tongue, spitting out the blood onto the ground.
“Even now, I see. This is a ‘result’ that I couldn’t see at all. Everything else is fine. But that rival, Noah, everything that touches them moves contrary to my intentions.”
Countless shoots sprang up from the soil soaked with Laila’s life force. They curled into the forms of new arms and legs, filling the gaps left by her fallen limbs.
“I only wanted to see the light of humanity, to see the beautiful sight of one standing proudly while shining alone, but I ended up seeing something far more beautiful. So, I don’t know how to cope with this situation.”
At the same time, boom– a towering cluster of divine power crashed down upon Laila’s body. A giant’s hand tore at her limbs. It twisted her neck, ripped at her waist, spilling out her insides.
“And so, it’s so much fun. The future I don’t know, is soooooo fun. Even the gods of other worlds, even the renowned and noble Lilith didn’t surpass my expectations. But, but, but. That rival, that girl, the Noah I love so much. I can’t read at all.”
And like before,
an unbearably warm divine power healed Laila’s body completely.
“So, I’m really curious. How do you smile when you’re happy, how do you cry when you’re sad? When you’re suffering, how do you struggle? How should I make you feel that way? Should I hurt you? Where to hurt you? Your body? Your mind? The people around you? Or—”
With a giggle, the fingertips of the Nameless One trembled above Rubia’s chest.
“Your most beloved person?”
The divinely imbued fingertips tore Rubia’s clothes apart. It sliced through the hidden underwear, piercing her snow-white skin, causing bright red blood to spill forth.
“No, I can’t do that. My precious toy mustn’t break. It can’t be crushed before I see the light I want to see. So, I left it alone. So, I pretended not to see it. So, I’m just watching.”
But that was the end of it.
The fingertips that were about to strip her skin withdrew gently, soothingly caressing their own chest as if nothing had happened.
“Do you understand? The reason I’m just patiently waiting here is not because my awakening hasn’t finished, but simply out of curiosity, out of excitement, nothing more?”
Just then,
the Nameless One’s actions, once charmingly playful, abruptly came to a halt.
“However, Laila. In this fascinating storybook filled with thrilling tales, there seems to be a presence that could ruin the beautiful narrative.”
A flat voice.
A hollow gaze that recalled the depths of the abyss.
A shiver-inducing expression devoid of emotion.
These were directed at Ser, cradled among countless flowers behind Laila.
“What should I do about that?”
The fingertip of the Nameless One pointed toward Ser. Eight pairs of wings unfurled. The divine power that had been resting at the Nameless One’s feet surged violently. The dominion that enveloped the world, the blessings, the darkness of the black sun.
Everything that constituted the world.
Was poured out to erase the existence known as Ser from this world.
At the same time.
scrape.
A single human’s reverse heaven.
Denied the Nameless One.
Removed all the negations directed at Ser.
And then.
boom –
In the space where nothing existed, the highest ranking spirits appeared.
[We greet the masters of all life and spirits.]
The Spirit King
revealed their form.
*
The red full moon of Valoran descended from the sky.
Brunhilde’s terror set the skies ablaze.
Cartia’s stance brushed between them.
Not even the sky, nor the stillness of Jiz or the dragons, could pierce through the tranquility suspended in the air.
Thus, I thought.
“Ugh, that was a close… scrape.”
The fatigued gaze of Cartia turned toward me.
“How’s it going?”
I tilted my head at Cartia’s question.
“Hmm? How’s your body feeling? Just what does it feel like?”
“My body, feeling… huh?”
The jagged voice flowed out smoothly.
I quickly checked my body’s condition through my sense of vitality.
I was okay.
Nothing strange, just fine.
The strength returned to my hand that could hardly hold Frey.
The blurry sense of vitality became clear.
The breath that had been squeezed out turned to a natural rhythm.
The trembling body, the entangled flow of energy.
Everything had returned to normal.
“It’s all—good….”
“Right?”
With a shrug, Cartia, who crouched in front of me, tidied up her messy hair and spoke.
“To deny the will of that which opposes the sky, no, to deny the gods. This is the true reverse heaven.”
Then she rubbed my mouth’s corners upwards. Cartia’s sweat-drenched hand trembled slightly. But the power contained within was still solid.
“If you look at it this way, reverse heaven seems amazing compared to other things, but that’s not the case. Reverse heaven can only deny the sky. It cannot crush, erase, or overturn; it is merely a simple denial. If you can’t even reach it, it’s a clumsy ability that you can’t even deny. So, it’s something that cannot accomplish anything alone—”
thud – Cartia’s forehead met mine.
“It’s the only unique skill that only humans can use, just like humans.”
The magic flowing along her forehead heated my body, pushing out a bit of my unholy emotions.
“But it’s romantic, isn’t it? The weakest being, the human, we—the ones who decorate the end of everything.”
Cartia’s usual smiling face pulled away from mine.
The warmth remained where we had connected.
“I can’t be satisfied with just this.”
The warmth that felt like it would vanish anytime.
I reached out toward it.
“We’ve lost too much, given up too much, and had so much stolen from us.”
But I couldn’t reach it.
“The tears spilled and blood shed are too thick.”
That warmth gradually distanced itself from me.
“This isn’t the conclusion everyone desires.”
Finally, gripping her attitude, Cartia swung it toward the sky.
Once. Twice.
With each swing, a period was placed on this battle.
On Cartia’s tale.
“So, Noah. I wish you would rewrite it.”
A story where we can smile.
A story where we can be satisfied.
You.
Rubia.
“So we can all have a happy ending.”
Not as a legendary hero.
Not as the Sword of Victory.
Not as a master.
But as a single human.
As your friend.
“I beg you, God Noah.”
cackle– a laugh just like usual.
“It’ll be difficult. Very hard, painful, you’ll want to give up, but unlike ‘us,’ who stopped here, I hope you’ll carry on to the end.”
Following her words, the attitude rose up.
“Instead, I’ll leave the door open.”
The attitude that became one with her pointed toward the sky.
Her eyes gazed at the sky that she could now reach.
“If one day in the far future, we happen to meet again, then at that moment—”
And then.
“Booze… yeah. Just get me a jelly.”
Slowly.
She drew her attitude down.
That was the last.
“Open Heaven.”
The long, long journey of a mercenary.
The forgotten path of a hero.
The bitter victory of the Sword of Victory.
And
The happiness sought by a single human.
Cartia’s.
This tale came to an end.
*
Since ancient times, humans could not fly in the sky.
Yet, there existed humans who touched the sky.
Humans who reached and cut through the sky existed.
That human possessed courage.
That human possessed strength.
That human walked a path that mortals could never tread.
That human achieved feats that mortals could never accomplish.
Thus,
the humanity living upon the earth.
The descendants who would live upon the earth.
Shall remember that existence.
That human.
That she.
That Cartia.
Forever and ever.
And thus, spoke.
Hero (Completed)
