〈 Chapter 362 〉 Disaster and Hero (5)
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Years ago, to bind the Demon Lord, Raniel bargained with a Star. That day, she sacrificed half her lifespan to infuse her soul with an immense amount of Starlight.
“I make a deal.”
What Raniel acquired back then was a quantity of Starlight that far surpassed even Kyle’s, who was known to have the strongest output among all heroes. The power she had, which the so-called Wise One mage obtained with the determination to burn her life away, was nearly omnipotent.
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Flooding Starlight.
The radiant form of a hero.
Kyle branded that image in his mind.
That truly is a hero.
The very image of someone who doesn’t retreat in the face of any enemy—is that which he has always yearned for, Kyle mused. He etched that image firmly in his memory.
Thus, the hero Kyle envisions is none other than…
The perfect ideal, that day’s Raniel.
‘…I must have made quite the impression.’
Raniel smirked.
The Star’s artifact granted to her is the Balance. However, she thought its shape was merely symbolic. What Raniel desired was for Kyle to become the hero he dreamed of. And in interpreting heroes, her own subjective view was also included.
A hero is one who sacrifices oneself.
One who shoulders the cost and moves forward.
Thus, the Balance .
The Balance, crafted from the Star’s artifact, does not require the same lifespan as before, but the act of “offering something” is deemed important by Raniel. Is it not a fitting artifact for a mage like herself?
As she always has.
She paid the price, and the bargain was sealed.
What the Star’s artifact enacts is not enhancement but reproduction. The reenactment of the day she faced the Demon Lord. However, it will not be exactly the same as that day. Much time has passed, and Raniel did not squander that time.
This is different from the time she was overwhelmed by power.
This is different from the time she fell apart unable to withstand the power.
Now, as a hero, she can bear this immense amount of Starlight. Her body strains similarly, yet she will not crumble like that day.
…What she desires is a means to victory.
With the ground beneath her feet, she recalled what she had used to bind the Demon Lord’s feet that day. The platinum particles wrapping around her immediately responded to her thoughts.
Chirrup.
A familiar sound rang in Raniel’s ears.
She looked at what was wrapped around her hand.
It is not the Star’s artifact. It is neither something that cannot break nor an unyielding symbol of a hero. Yet, this is what Raniel had summoned years ago to face the Demon Lord.
If the opponent is the Demon Lord.
If it is a being shrouded in shadow.
This is akin to the Star’s artifact. Seeing the platinum chains coiled around her hand, Raniel smiled. She smiled and thought, Now it seems I can finally give it my all.
2.
As a result of her continuous growth since becoming a disaster, Kyle has become slightly faster, slightly more efficient in his movements. Just as Raniel burst forth from space, Kyle also tore through space as he raced forward.
Wide-open eyes.
Heightened extrasensory perception to its limit.
As Raniel approached, Kyle swung his sword.
SWISH!
Signatures of slashing space raced towards her. But it seemed Raniel had no intention of evading the blow. Rather than making an evasive move, she stepped even closer.
How can she think to endure this?
For a brief moment of wonder, Kyle’s gaze locked onto the grasping hand of Raniel. Something was wrapped around her grasp. It was a shining platinum chain.
KAAAAAANG!
The sound of metal meeting metal reverberated.
For the first time, Kyle’s sword, which had cut through everything it touched, was held at bay. With her hand wrapped in the iron chain, Raniel seized Kyle’s sword. His eyes widened.
It doesn’t cut. It doesn’t break.
As Kyle attempted to release the blade’s aura from the captured tip, Raniel moved first. Just as Kyle had grabbed her wrist and wielded the sword, Raniel also held onto Kyle’s sword and surged forward.
BOOM!
The ground trembled.
CRACK! CRACK! and fissures formed in the earth.
In that fleeting moment, Kyle could not read Raniel’s movement. Not even with his superhuman reflexes or extrasensory perception could he foresee the acceleration (??) coming. The sound of air bursting echoed in Kyle’s ears.
A fist ripping through the air rushed at him.
SMASH!
Raniel’s fist connected with Kyle’s heart.
The physical shock hit first, then after a brief pause, a shockwave shook Kyle’s body. This impact was incomparably more powerful than before. Kyle was on the verge of being catapulted away as he couldn’t withstand the impact.
CHIRR!
Released chains wrapped around Kyle’s airborne body. Clenching the chain’s end was Raniel. With her fist still poised, she spun and yanked the chain.
“…!”
He was being pulled in.
Where he was being pulled was a cloud of ash held by Raniel. Even as he was dragged in, Kyle twisted his body and swung his sword. A perfect strike befitting a Sword Master, but…
KAAAAAANG!
Suddenly, dozens of chains appeared between Kyle and Raniel, blocking the blow. Though it couldn’t even contain the released aura, the chains had served their purpose.
The broken chains transformed into platinum particles.
The transformed particles ticked and ticked as they clung to Kyle’s body. The platinum particles took on an ash-like form, adhering to Kyle’s retina.
IGNITE!
Small sparks erupted right in front of him.
Immediately after, Kyle’s vision turned pure white. With a thunderous roar, a rush of heat slammed into him, a brilliant flash struck him. Swept up in the spell, Kyle rolled across the ground. Blinded as his eyes evaporated, Kyle swung his sword haphazardly, relying on his senses.
The strikes were sharp but not sharp enough to reach Raniel. While swinging the sword, the presence closed in almost instantly.
As Kyle regained his vision, all he could see was blue. In his hazy sight, there was only blue. It dawned on him far too late that it was Raniel’s eyes drawing close and that she had him by the throat.
SQUASH!
The moment she grasped Kyle’s neck, the chains entwined around both him and her hand, binding them together. Within the bound chains, Raniel’s hands flickered platinum.
ASHES TO ASHES!
The chains waved violently. The bound chains shimmered with bursts of platinum light from their gaps.
BOOM!
With a deafening roar, Kyle’s neck snapped.
Flesh and muscle flew away. The rising shadow just barely prevented Kyle’s head from falling, but the explosive force didn’t stop at one. The frenzied platinum particles erupted multiple times, birthing new flashes.
THUD! THUD!
As she restrained the unbindable shadow, Raniel unleashed spells repeatedly. Of course, her own hands weren’t unscathed either. Her hands bound by the chain had also lost flesh, exposing her pure white bones. Even those bones would snap, but they would quickly regenerate.
This battle has surpassed the realm of common sense.
However, sticking purely to resurrection, Raniel was at a disadvantage. Amidst the repeating explosions, Kyle tried to swing his sword. Tsk! Raniel clicked her tongue and unbound the chains while delivering a swift kick.
RUMBLE!
As Kyle stood from his rolls on the ground, a barrage of hands erupted from his heart. The shattered Kyle’s body was pieced together and reassembled, much like a doll.
Then, SWISH!
Raniel tilted her head back.
In that instant, a slash from an incoming sword cut through her hair, and Raniel frowned. It had become much faster than before.
“…This is madness.”
Raniel bit her lip.
While she may have the upper hand in physical ability, this state wouldn’t last long. Kyle was attempting to match even this speed.
Then…
‘I need to end this showdown quickly.’
Before he catches up.
Before he grows stronger.
Raniel kicked off and raced forward. But she didn’t fully accelerate from the start. Just as Kyle prepared to swing his sword, Raniel drove her foot into the ground.
Platinum particles burst forth, a momentary acceleration.
As the air ruptured, Raniel appeared to slide in just behind Kyle. The chains followed her path, making a CHIRR sound. As Kyle turned again to swing his sword, just before his attack completed, Raniel vanished from his sight yet again.
CHIRR!
Just as Kyle slashed, Raniel accelerated her body. She slipped into his blind spots repeatedly. How many times had she done this?
CHIRR! CHIRR!
Chains unfolded around Kyle like a web. Unable to land a hit, Kyle lowered the blade to the ground. Just as he settled into that stance, he overshadowed Raniel.
The Sword of Yeocheon.
Just as Kyle was about to unfurl the sword that cleaved through the threads of fate, a BANG echoed as Raniel zipped right past him.
CHIRR!
With a swing of her arm, the previously ensnared chains simultaneously converged towards Raniel. As they reached Kyle’s body, the chains wrapped around him. Even as he tried to break free from the chains, Kyle aimed to swing his sword but…
REBUILD!
The moment his sword sought to create a line, the ground sunk deeply. Unbalanced, Kyle quivered, and at that instant, Raniel seized the opportunity, tugging the chains with all her might.
Kyle’s arm trembled.
Because his arm trembled, the sword tip trembled.
Since the sword tip trembled, the technique trembled.
KEEENG!
The Sword of Yeocheon shook. The misaligned blade split off in every direction. Pillars crumbled, and debris that should have soared into the sky were hurled down, sideways, in all directions.
Everything visible was thrown into chaos.
Having lost his center, even Kyle could not escape the flow. In the heart of that chaos, Kyle strained his eyes wide. Amidst the disarray, there was a figure that did not shake.
Now it’s the opposite, you bastard.
That’s what she seemed to say as Raniel fixed herself to the ground, her body anchored by chains as she chuckled. She clapped her palms together. The platinum particles aligned into a bizarre circuit.
Then, in a flash.
Kyle saw it.
In the Phantom Territory, where the sun should not rise, a colossal sun appeared underground, hidden from sight. A platinum sun filled his vision.
WHOOSH!
As the heat burst forth, Kyle’s eyes opened wide.
Instinctively, he sensed the danger. As he attempted to swing his sword from mid-air, Raniel slammed her foot back into the ground.
GRAVITON!
The things that had been floating in the air swept along by the sword were pressed down by massive pressure hitting the air, along with the swirling dust, smashing Kyle back to the ground.
Identifying range, amplifying power.
The gravity encroaching on Kyle’s body narrowed the zone, intensifying the pressure. As Kyle strained to rise, Raniel stomped her foot.
CATACLYSM!
REBUILD!
The ground crumbled. The fallen debris was completely reconstructed into a new form. A circular wall rose up, sealing Kyle in. With a flick of her finger, a chain burst forth from the wall, ensnaring his body.
A circular wall.
Inside the wall, chains tangled like webs.
The moment the chains hindered Kyle’s movements, Raniel clasped her hands together. The stored circuits burst into flames.
SPELL-BUNCH!
JUDGMENT!
A bluish-white flash sparked.
Later, a booming rumble shook the air. From within the walls that ensnared Kyle, flashes ignited one after another. Blue-white lightning struck Kyle’s body.
…Originally, Kyle should have been immune to the spell’s effects. Thanks to the shadow within him resisting its magic. But the spell Raniel was casting now held an immense amount of Starlight.
CRASH!
Before unimaginable output, even the shadow’s resistance was torn apart. As Kyle’s burning body blackened, the shadow attempted to restore him, but the lingering lightning along the chains continuously degraded Kyle’s form.
The shadowy grasp that had held onto Kyle’s broken arm fell for the first time. He dropped his sword. Once he dropped the sword, and the shadow released him, Kyle felt himself become lighter.
“…”
Kyle spotted the sword hovering in mid-air.
And also saw the massive sun approaching, melting away the walls binding him. The great sun was on a collision course, evaporating everything it touched.
The sun is falling.
As if reacting to the falling sun, the chains charged with mana glimmered brilliantly. Like ashes waiting to ignite, they began to emit a soft tick, tick sound.
Dozens, hundreds of chains are mere ashes.
The descending sun serves as the ignition point for the chains.
What Raniel could present as her best strike now, and this strike would undoubtedly threaten Kyle as well. Kyle felt tremors run through his body. For the first time since the battle began, he sensed danger.
An approaching death.
The feeling was fear.
Amidst the fear, Kyle gazed at the sword hovering in mid-air. With an outstretched human arm, not the broken shadow’s arm, he reached for it.
SQUASH!
With a human hand, Kyle gripped the sword.
The moment he grasped the sword, the sun flickered bright white. The ashes scattered around him also began to flash. A torrent of massive energy surged, ready to sweep the area.
WHOOSH!
Kyle swung his sword.
The tip heaved lightly. Light yet unyielding. Unyielding, hence, it was heavier than anything else. Even buried in shadow, its essence did not fade.
Kyle was a knight.
As long as he held a sword, there was nothing he could not strike down.
3.
As Raniel beheld the falling sun, she sensed victory. She poured all her available means into this. She anticipated Kyle’s moves, stayed a step ahead, and cornered him into a trap.
A massive spell.
At the moment Raniel was about to raise her arms to brace for the incoming shock, a rustling sound that shouldn’t have resonated echoed in her ears.
SWISH!
Raniel’s eyes widened in disbelief.
At the moment the sun erupted, just as all the ashes were about to explode, a single ray sliced through the potential explosion. However, it didn’t sever it completely. The brilliantly flickering sun still detonated.
BOOM!
A disturbing bang shook the area.
The sweeping heat caused the land to emit a hissing sound, evaporating everything. The shockwave thrashed the ground as air swirled violently. Amidst the confusion, Raniel clearly heard something.
SWISH…
The sound resonated repeatedly.
The overwhelming heat quickly began to dissipate. The shockwave started to be severed. Swirling dirt began carving jagged scars in the earth.
Finally, SHINK!
A single strike sliced past Raniel. Instantly, the direction of the wind flipped. As the shockwave completely vanished, even the heat cleared from that space where Kyle stood.
“…”
With his right arm ensnared by the shadow, Kyle slowly lifted his left hand, gripping his sword. The blade pointed directly at Raniel.
He was in an abnormal state.
Even though he had cleaved through the sun, he hadn’t done it completely. Kyle’s body, battered from sustaining the massive spells multiple times, was collapsing. Only preventing that collapse kept the shadow busy.
Kyle’s body could no longer recover.
The decaying Kyle wouldn’t be able to withstand even the smallest shock and would be rendered unable to rise again.
‘…With a body like that, he can’t wield his sword.’
Squinting her eyes, Raniel thought.
With a body like that, he couldn’t display the movements from before. But why did it seem like he didn’t appear weak at all? If anything, he seemed sharper than earlier…
SLASH!
“…!”
Raniel swallowed hard and flinched sideways. With a swish, the space she had just occupied was slashed at a dangerous angle. The blade was unimaginably sharper than before.
‘…Crazy.’
Raniel gritted her teeth.
She couldn’t afford to relax even for a second. The opponent she now had to face wasn’t the disaster anymore. This was the most fierce knight, Ganikalt van Galatrick, who had reached unparalleled heights in the past.
A knight who had attained that same realm.
To prove it, Kyle swung his sword once again. The speed of this swing was slow. The force with which he swung the sword was weaker than when wielded with the shadow’s grasp.
However,
The lethal aura erupting from its tip was faster than anything. More precise, sharper, and heavier than anything else. The strike approaching at Kyle cleaved through the chains that Raniel had produced, ripping at her shoulder.
SWISH!
Blood erupted like a fountain.
Even the rising Starlight was severed by his trajectory. The gaping wound did not heal. Gritting her teeth, Raniel slammed her foot into the ground.
REBUILD!
As her spell sought to reach the ground Kyle had stepped upon. Kyle calmly swung his sword. With a SWISH!, something was cleaved away.
The spell failed to activate.
Raniel’s eyes widened.
This was a spell amplified by Starlight. Using a stored spell meant there was no gap before activation. Yet Kyle had cut it down. He had sensed the flow of mana and cleaved a spell that hadn’t even formed.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Raniel forced a laugh.
This was the final blow. If she could land just one hit on the broken Kyle, this battle would be over. Even the basic spell, Smite, would be enough to pin him down.
Then she could realize her plan.
She could turn him back into a human.
But landing that blow seemed utterly impossible. With gritted teeth, Raniel began to unleash spell after spell. Every instinct screamed at her that approaching Kyle was dangerous.
SWISH!
But it was futile.
With just a single swing of his sword, Kyle decimated all the spells she had unleashed. With remnants of unfired mana swirling around, Raniel couldn’t help but chuckle.
Kyle stood right there.
He stood still, aiming his blade at her.
As if inviting her to come closer. As if mocking her, urging her to resolve their conflict from up close, like this ineffective spell would have no effect.
“You insufferable bastard.”
Raniel bitterly smiled.
CHIRR! In her hands the chains wrapped around her once more. Raniel calculated the time remaining she had. The one nearing its limit was not just Kyle.
She had unleashed massive spells countless times.
Resting her faith on recovery, exhausting her body.
Only a handful of moments remained. The moment the last grain of sand fell, her enhancements would dissolve. If that happened, it would be Raniel who would lose. Victory and defeat rested a single step away from each other.
Raniel looked ahead.
There was Kyle, steadying his breath, aiming his sword. Where he stood was the knight’s territory. The moment she approached, she would be sliced. She would be shredded to pieces. That place was surely the land of death.
Walking into that territory on her own.
A foolish and reckless act. Society often ridicules those who do such things as fools. Yet, the line between a fool and a hero is merely a hair’s breadth. The difference lay in…
‘Succeeding or failing.’
A hero is one who challenges the impossible.
One who steps into danger despite being ridiculed.
THUD!
Raniel took a step forward.
The path she walked upon was always uniform.
Toward the front, Raniel advanced.
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