Woooosh, Chloe.
The spell she manifested, born from her unique constitution, holds a power entirely different from spells of the same tier. Even her basic spells possess the might to rival higher-tier spells.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
Whoosh, handling the raging starlight mana is no easy feat. The top tier spells, known as the extremes of magic, require extreme precision. Chloe couldn’t manifest these top-tier spells.
The rampaging mana disrupted her delicate circuit. Juggling enough mana at once to perform a top-tier spell was incredibly challenging. Therefore, she hadn’t attempted any top-tier spells until now…
“Now, I must move on to the next level.”
Through trials, she has developed a longing for higher realms. She reached out for something above. That’s how she grasped the extreme clue, achieving this level with the assistance of two mages.
Zing!
The starlight gathered at the tip of her staff began to swirl, showing her alias, the Raging Current. The violent mana crashed down, pressing the surroundings.
Flash, in an instant of light.
As Chloe’s staff illuminated, a massive circuit spread before her. The enormous circuit sparkled enough to fill the sky for a moment. As the flash faded, the circuit condensed into one point, creating a gigantic mass of heat.
“Manifest.”
Drawing in mana, Chloe spoke, pronouncing the name attached to the spell.
“Flare.”
A top-tier fire elemental spell.
In contrast to other complex and challenging top-tier spells, this one is considered quite straightforward.
Flare is a direct upgrade to the spell Annihilation.
While Annihilation burns everything along its path with a beam of extreme heat… Flare is a step ahead of Annihilation.
Zing.
A slender beam shot from the tip of Chloe’s staff. The beam of heat bypassed the superhumans and struck the Carapace Dragon below. The Carapace Dragon, trusting in its shell, casually met the beam.
The superhumans, aware of the impending spell, closed their eyes and covered their ears, curling their bodies.
Immediately, the beam that struck the Carapace Dragon’s exterior exploded. It flickered white. As tick, tick sounds popped from the beam, a blinding wave of white light burst forth. The light swept away the darkness that blanketed the vertical cave.
A fierce flash. Followed by a sound that seemed to tear through eardrums. Following the sound was a wave of heat.
Fwoosh!
The accumulated heat unleashed, splitting one beam into dozens, hundreds of strands. The scattered beams ignited everything in their path. The beams stretched, piercing through the Carapace Dragon’s exterior, reaching a wall, the depths of the abyss, and stopping somewhere.
The beams all exploded.
Holes punctured the Carapace Dragon’s body. The stench of burning flesh, evaporating blood, and boiling heat filled the vertical cave.
Chloe, with her basic spell matching the power of higher spells. The top-tier spell she unleashed had already transcended common understanding.
Eeek!
The cries of the Carapace Dragons echoed in the vertical cave. The one struck first by Flare, along with two others nearby, fell as they coughed up blood. Among the falling Carapace Dragons, two remained, their bodies riddled with holes.
Spattering blood, the remaining two Carapace Dragons charged towards the intruders plunging into the vertical cave. However, the situation had already shifted dramatically.
Shwing.
The superhumans’ swords awaited the Carapace Dragons. The Carapace Dragons, soaring high, saw the fierce wave of blade energy filling their vision. Blade energy spreading like a net. Blade energy gleaming under the moonlight.
Swish.
With a silent cutting sound, blood poured forth.
—
“Keep your distance. Don’t follow too closely.”
“Okay, got it.”
Raniel issued a brief command as she relaxed her shoulders. Behind her lay the charred corpses of the summoned beasts. She had burned all the summoned beasts roaming the forest. Having created such a ruckus, the traitor would surely have sensed the intrusion.
Thus began a race against time.
“I’m going ahead.”
Muttering this, Raniel took a step toward the slope. Crash, as the dirt tumbled down from the slope, she kicked off and started running.
Acceleration, and chains.
Platinum chains wrapped around Raniel’s hand with a clink. Using the chains, she sprinted forth. As she sped across the slope, the ground shook with a thud thud thud.
Crack crack crack crack!
The Carapace Dragons, sensing the intruders, burst forth.
The Carapace Dragons launched from the ground, scattering debris. A group of seven Carapace Dragons charged at the swiftly moving Raniel. However, she didn’t slow down for even a moment. If anything, she accelerated.
Acceleration.
The platinum starlight blinked momentarily.
Raniel vanished in an instant. Appearing behind the lead Carapace Dragon, as it twisted in surprise, a crack echoed.
The chains wrapped tightly around the Carapace Dragon.
Unfazed, the Carapace Dragon plunged into the ground, confident it could easily break free from such chains. However, once the chains tightened, it could no longer move. Thus, three Carapace Dragons were ensnared.
Snap, snap.
The tightened chains neither broke, nor did the human who held them get dragged along. While the three Carapace Dragons convulsed, Raniel stomped down with her raised foot.
Kaboom.
The ground cracked as she struck it.
With her foot still pressed down, she swung her chain-wrapped arm forward. The ensnared Carapace Dragons were dragged from the ground.
The three Carapace Dragons hurled toward her.
As she watched the massive beasts float in the air, Raniel tugged on the chains. The back of her hand blazed white.
Eeek!
With a roar, she swung her fist at the approaching Carapace Dragons. Upon contact, crack, the Carapace’s exterior caved in. One strike followed by the spell.
Smash.
Crack, Crash!
The Carapace of the beasts shattered entirely. Not content with destroying their exoskeletons, the ensuing shockwave left massive holes in the bodies of the three Carapace Dragons.
Thud.
Unable to bear it, the beasts fell, their blood gushing. Four remaining Carapace Dragons followed behind, advancing with gaping maws, ready to dig through the ground as they approached Raniel.
Glancing at the ground where she had stomped, Raniel slightly twisted her foot. The circuit etched into her boot blinked briefly.
Cataclysm.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The ground shook, and stone pillars rose.
The terrain now favored her. Running along the rising stone pillars, Raniel charged ahead. Every time she swung her hand, sounds of shattering echoed, and explosions erupted. Covered in blood, Raniel pressed on.
The depths of the abyss.
Beyond that, the traitor awaited her.
—
The intruders who had entered the vertical cave reached the depths of the abyss, standing among the Carapace Dragon corpses. The first to arrive were the sword masters and Belnoa. Following them were mages, including Natida, landing in the depths.
“……”
The hunting team that descended into the abyss quietly gazed up at the sky. Despite having ventured beneath the earth through the vertical cave, what welcomed them here was a blue sky.
A refreshing breeze blows. The sun rises.
And a vast expanse of green meadows stretches out.
It was as if this place existed in a different realm. Before the alien landscape, the hunting team swallowed dry saliva. The depths of the abyss. They had reached Alkeia, the land for those without faith.
“Prepare.”
Their gaze turned toward the edge of the meadow.
There stood a massive temple, buried in walls. In front of the giant door stood someone. As if guarding this temple.
The gatekeeper gazed at the intruders who had set foot in Alkeia.
Suddenly, a low echoing sound of a sword ringing filled the meadow. The moment the gatekeeper drew his sword, the chilling resonance of the blade echoed across the field. The superhumans shuddered, and the mages instinctively stepped back.
The traitor called this being a masterpiece.
The former Sword Saint.
The proud knight, Kuntel.
Once known as the strongest superhuman, he now aimed his blade at the hunting party.
Rumble rumble rumble.
Then it happened.
The temple began to tremble.
—
The heart of Alkeia.
The traitor slowly opened her eyes. Her greenish eyes sparkled in the darkness. She felt it. The signals of the summoned beasts she had been connected to gradually cutting off. The intruders who stepped onto her land.
“Ah ha.”
The traitor chuckled.
Maybe, it was the saint who smirked.
“You’ve finally arrived.”
Laughing, she rose from her seat.
The light chuckle began to twist into a maniacal laughter. The woman who trampled over and insulted the teachings of the God brushed her hair back.
The time has come.
The long-awaited day has dawned.
How long she had awaited this day.
During the past few centuries, she had accumulated her divinity in this land of Alkeia, where the temple of the gods resided. Ever since she saw the true face of the God she once believed in, she hadn’t believed in any god since.
Her faith now only rests in herself.
The collected faith, the consecrated holy relics, the Alkeia shaped solely for her. It began to awaken in response to her call. The long-forgotten beliefs started to rise one by one.
“Ahhh.”
Gleria moaned.
“Ahhh, ahhhhhhh!”
Gletus rejoiced.
Drip drip drip.
From the ceiling, the floor, the walls, everywhere in sight, foul water began to pour. These pouring sludges turned into waves. In the surging curse, the traitor despaired. She rejoiced. She laughed maniacally.
“Come forth, my children.”
Today.
The traitor, Gletus.
The saint, Gleria Bel Armias.
“It’s time to open the heavens.”
Yeocheon, and kaecheon will unfold.
And she would prove.
How futile are the things you believe in.
That the only path to true salvation is this one.
