Chapter 301
Chapter 301
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 301
Chapter Title: Final Battle (9)
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"...There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you."
"What?"
The parched, cracked voice was unmistakably familiar from before. People whipped their heads around in alarm. Far beyond the curtain, a battered man stood in ruins.
"L-Lea-Lea-Lea-Leader?!"
Asel's face drained of color. The distance was great, but there was no mistaking him. It was Abel, the leader of the Nebula Klazie Church.
However, the overwhelming pressure from their first encounter was absent. Those who saw him showed confusion rather than fear. Zaifa furrowed his brow.
"He's completely done for."
"Familiar cat, aren't you? Yeah, I've ended up in quite the pitiful state."
Abel chuckled hoarsely. He was dying from wounds so severe it was a miracle he still lived. He'd barely escaped his battle with Ronan, but at the cost of one arm, one leg, and half his entrails.
"Urk..."
Asel retched. Purple blood dripped steadily from his severed left leg below the knee. Excluding the damage from Navardoje, most of it was Ronan's handiwork. The Savior, who had been silent, finally spoke.
"...Abel."
"What kind of monster did you create, brother? I nearly died for real."
Abel playfully waggled his severed right arm. White bone was already regenerating, protruding from the stump. The Savior asked,
"You're finished now. If you barely clung to life, you should've run. Why show up here?"
"Well... to beg for my life, I suppose? Even if I fled, you'd hunt me down and kill me anyway. And honestly, the way things are going, that big lout might beat me too."
Abel glanced up at the sky. His gaze lingered on the Giant King battling fiercely beyond the clouds. Ronan and the allied forces' resilience far exceeded his expectations. Marya let out a hollow laugh upon hearing him.
"Ha, what kind of shameless bastard...!"
There was a limit to thick-skinnedness. Suddenly anxious, she turned to the Savior. They were brothers, apparently—surely he wouldn't forgive him? The silent Savior spoke.
"You know it's too late."
"True enough. Just checking, brother. You've always been soft-hearted."
"You've lost too much blood; your judgment's clouded. Now that you've revealed yourself, you won't survive. So answer as your final confession. What did you do to my daughter? And what happened to Lady Navardoje?"
His voice was firm. Relieved that her worries were unfounded, Marya sighed in relief. Abel smirked bitterly and shook his head.
"Who knows... No obligation to answer when you won't spare me anyway."
"...I see."
The Savior twisted his lips. Memories of their shared days flashed before him like a montage—from walking hand-in-hand over their vanished homeland's ruins to the moment Abel stabbed a sword into his back.
Instead of answering, the Savior closed his eyes. He murmured through gritted teeth,
"...Kill him. Anyone."
The Star's Blessing parted slightly. Zaifa, who had been casually rotating his wrist, shot forward like he was waiting for it. Almost simultaneously, Abel drew his sword and unleashed a crescent-shaped sword beam. Shiiik! It grazed Zaifa's cheek and flew straight toward Cain.
"What do you think you're doing with that?!"
"Hup!"
It was anticipated. The feeble beam was pathetically weak compared to before, but complacency was unwise. Marya and Brahma raised their greatsword and shield like lightning. Yet the beam never reached them—it slammed harmlessly into the empty ground.
"Huh?"
Marya frowned in disbelief. It was far too pitiful for a desperate final strike. The small explosion tousled her blonde hair, knocked the tiara off Iril's head, scratched Brahma's itchy rear, then vanished.
"Oops."
Abel gave a wry smile, his expression saying he hadn't expected such a failure. At that moment, a were-tiger streaked horizontally across the ground and reached him.
"Fast."
Those were his last words. Zaifa swung his arm wordlessly. His claws, still wet with Ronan's blood, sliced effortlessly through Abel's weakened barrier.
Thwack-! As his arm arced, Abel's head exploded.
The skull-crushing sound was gruesome. His body, unaware of death, convulsed and toppled backward. The Savior, who had wiped his face once, spoke.
"...May you find peace."
It was the end of a long-standing grudge. A profoundly hollow conclusion.
Because of the Savior's demeanor, the group couldn't cheer despite slaying the enemy leader. Zaifa, sensing an inexplicable unease, narrowed his eyes.
"This is..."
Something was off. He'd definitely killed him, yet it didn't feel like it. Abel's corpse twitched in spasms where it lay.
'What?'
His instincts, always guiding him, screamed warning. Crunch! As Zaifa stomped the body flat and scanned around, a seductive laugh echoed from within the curtain.
"Ahahaha!"
"Hm?"
Zaifa turned. Iril, giggling uncontrollably in Marya's arms, caught his eye. She, who had slept soundly through the chaos, was laughing out loud.
"Ahaha! Hehe... hahaha!"
"I-Iril sis? What's wrong all of a sudden...?"
Marya stammered in confusion. It wasn't normal sleep-talk. The relentless laughter felt eerily chilling.
"What is this? What's going... guk!"
It didn't take long to realize something was wrong. As the Savior moved to properly check his daughter, the clouds parted, and the Giant King's strike slammed nearby once more.
Kwaaaaang-! The pillar of light cratered the earth deep enough to bury a mountain. Asel cried out urgently as blood erupted from the Savior's mouth.
"F-First, get him to the medics! Over here!"
"Y-Yeah!"
Asel shouted. Marya clutched Iril tightly and bolted. Whatever was happening, the continent's top healers could fix her.
"Ahahaha! Haha!"
"S-Sis, you okay? Just hold on a bit!"
Iril kept cackling amid it all. Asel bit his lower lip. He didn't know why, but a tightness in his chest boded ill.
"...Hmph."
Zaifa, peering around, reentered the Star's Blessing. From atop the main temple's walls, a man watching them murmured softly.
"Please... my nephew... hrrk!"
A clot of blood burst from Abel's mouth. His already dire condition worsened. His clone, forged from his last reserves, had died. Bishop Rabondite sniffled tearfully.
"L-Leader! Are you alright? I tried to stop you, knowing this might happen...!"
Her specialty was intricate clone magic, and she regretted granting his request. Her spell consumed not just mana but life force—hardly suitable for a dying man. He shook his head.
"No... Without this effort, they'd have caught on. If I'd been even a bit later, that cat would've noticed."
"L-Let's get you treated first. This is really dangerous."
"Treatment..."
Abel trailed off. As Rabondite reached to support him, his left arm vanished from view and reappeared gripping a sword hilt.
"Huh?"
Rabondite's brows shot up. Simultaneously, her head flew into the air. Splash! Gushing blood soaked Abel's face. The surrounding followers flinched.
"Eek! L-Leader?!"
"Thanks for your service. Let's meet again as stars."
Abel swung indifferently. Dozens of followers were massacred without a scream. All witnesses eliminated.
He looked up at the castle's pinnacle. Schlieffen's whirlwind around the spire swelled and shrank repeatedly. Abel clicked his tongue.
"He should've come back sooner."
He couldn't fathom what Schlieffen was doing, having stolen Iril. If the archbishops hadn't let her be taken, he wouldn't have needed to go this far with a clone.
'She should've grown stronger absorbing starlight. What on earth is he doing?'
Tsking, Abel lowered his gaze. He'd intended to personally end her life as thanks for her service, but alas.
Of course, with her powers awakened, it wouldn't be painful. Abel muttered,
"A peaceful... death..."
He didn't want people dying in terror and screams. Using his sword as a cane, Abel began walking. His destination: the castle basement. The secret chamber linked to the giants' world.
"Ugh... mmph."
Iril opened her eyes. Her head felt hazy, like she'd been drinking. The blue sky above was beautiful.
"What... was I doing?"
Something tough had happened, but she couldn't remember. The breeze tickling her nose carried scents of grass and wildflowers.
She slowly sat up. A winding path stretched before her. Following it with her eyes, she spotted a small village. The nostalgic scene widened her eyes.
"This is..."
Nimbuton in early summer was lush with greenery. A small river wound through the village. Fluffy sheep roamed the hills encircling it.
"Nimbuton."
Suddenly, her vision blurred with tears. Was this nostalgia? Her nose stung unbearably. As she wiped her eyes with her sleeve, a youthful voice called from behind.
"Sis."
"Yeah?"
As familiar as her hometown. Turning, her gaze met a boy in a straw hat staring up at her. His eyes were a beautiful scarlet like sunset.
"Ronan...!"
"I'm hungry. Food."
The young Ronan said shamelessly. His sharp glare was the same as ever. Iril reached out and pinched his cheek. The soft flesh stretched.
"Whatcha doin'?"
"So squishy... Y-You're really Ronan?"
"You're acting weird today, sis. Of course I'm real. Who else?"
Ronan frowned at her inexplicable behavior. Tears welled in Iril's eyes again. Sniffling, she pulled her brother into a tight hug.
"My little brother! It's been forever!"
"Whoa...!"
Ronan floundered in shock. She hugged so fiercely he could barely breathe. Seeing her shoulders shake, he spoke.
"...Something tough happen?"
"Yeah... I dunno. Feels like it, but I can't remember."
"I see."
Ronan slowly raised a hand to pat her back. A small, gentle gesture. He said,
"Won't happen anymore. We'll stay together."
"Yeah, together forever?"
"Yeah. My friends are here too."
Ending the hug, Ronan nodded. Opening her eyes, Iril gasped in delight. Three children surrounded her. Young Marya waved with a bright smile.
"Hi, Iril sis!"
"H-Hi, sis."
"...You are beautiful today as well."
Young Asel and Schlieffen greeted her in turn. Such a heartwarming scene. Unable to contain her emotions, Iril scooped all four into a group hug.
"Whoa!"
"Wh-What is this...!"
The kids reacted variously. Eyes closed, Iril laughed aloud.
'Happy.'
Warm sunlight, adorable brother, and his friends. Nothing more to wish for. Finally lifting her head, she ruffled their hair.
"Alright, kids. Shall we eat? Sis makes killer potato stew."
Something felt forgotten, but it didn't matter now. She had become the girl from her youth, eye-level with Ronan.
At the same time, in the heart of the battlefield, a voice echoed in Adeshan's mind.