Chapter 410
Chapter 410
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 410
Chapter Title: 2-32. Wish
-----------------------------------------------------------------
- A power that grants wishes?
- Yeah. Even Abel couldn't take it in the end.
It wasn't that long ago.
I was walking down an icy passage toward the bald former king.
Every time I spoke or breathed, white vapor poured out.
My father, who had just come out of the recovery device, was clinging to my back.
- Then can't we just use that to take out the baldies? Do we really need to go spinning around like this?
- I wanted to do that too. But this power can't interfere with life itself. I stopped the super-volcano from erupting and destroying the world... but I couldn't save the villagers of my hometown, which is smaller than Numbton.
My father gave a wry smile.
My parents... well, my grandparents... and the villagers never woke up.
He had lived for countless ages, but Abel was the only exception.
- Besides, even if I could manipulate life, it wouldn't help much. The power to make wishes come true is no longer with me.
- Huh? Then who has it?
- Iril. It passed to my daughter. That's why I had to place an even harsher curse on her... to fool Abel's eyes.
The one who took the power to grant wishes was surprisingly my older sister.
It was the moment a question I'd harbored since childhood was answered.
Honestly, it hadn't made sense.
She was so beautiful, yet not a single punk ever hit on her.
I chuckled, picturing my sister's face.
- That's a relief.
- Hm?
- I'm glad it went to my sister. If it'd come to me, I'd have abused it or wasted it on stupid crap. The river winding around Numbton would've turned into beer on the spot.
I could see it clear as day.
Whatever it was, I'd have enjoyed pathetic antics infinitely.
Eventually, even that would've gotten boring, and I'd have become a wanderer.
My father smiled faintly at my self-deprecating words.
- Heh, I don't think so.
- Pardon?
- Even if you'd inherited the power, nothing much would've changed. You're a good kid. You don't know how much Kasha adored you.
- ...Did you say something wrong?
My father just laughed without answering.
Feeling awkwardly embarrassed for no reason, I quickened my steps.
The ice cave stretched on endlessly.
Wish, wish...
【Ronan!】
.
.
.
"...That sure would be convenient."
【Ronan! Snap out of it, Ronan!!】
"Huh?"
【Damn it, what's with you zoning out all of a sudden?!】
The agitated voice shook my ears.
When I opened my eyes, Orse's furious face came into view.
Her vertically narrowed pupils looked ready to fire lasers any second.
【Get ready! The surface is right ahead!】
"Oh... right."
Orse was flying with me tucked under her arm.
The cleaved surface of the earth spread out on both sides.
'Yeah, I did that.'
My dizzy vision cleared.
The side effects of the illegal drug must've made me briefly delirious.
I'd drunk the former king's blood and was heading for Akasha.
"Sorry. Got a bit dizzy."
【The guy who unleashed a slash like that is staggering...? I can't forgive mistakes!】
"I said sorry. Hey, what's up with that?"
I looked up, and it was crystal clear.
Prismatic colors were seeping through the cracks drawing closer.
The sphere formed from Seniel's destruction had transformed into something far different from its initial boil of fire and darkness.
"Did sis pull something off?"
I had no idea what was going on.
All I knew for sure was that the situation was still dire.
The colors looked a bit less menacing, but the sheer power emanating from it hadn't changed.
Fully alert now, I gripped my sword hilt.
"Well, we'll find out when we get there."
【Here we go!!】
The exit was almost upon us.
Suddenly, an explosion rocked the inner wall, crumbling it down.
Another fragment must've hit the surface.
Rocks and ice poured down like an avalanche.
Enough to bury us, but Orse didn't slow.
I didn't panic either and swung my sword.
Dozens of slashes blanketed the view ahead.
Kwaaaaang!
Everything blocking the way shattered and collapsed.
Orse burst through the explosion with a roar.
【Kraaaaa!!】
"What a sight."
My view opened wide.
Seeing the surface landscape, I gritted my teeth.
It was a total shitshow.
Dozens of craters big enough to swallow the entire headquarters dotted the area.
Traces of the sphere's fragments crashing down.
Thank god the resistance's spot hadn't been hit.
A man spotted us and pointed, shouting.
"Th-there! It's Ronan and Captain Orse!"
"What? Then the earth splitting just now was...!"
The terrified people sprang into action.
I wanted to yell at them to evacuate instead of standing around like idiots, but it was pointless.
If I failed, they'd all die anyway.
The night sky above was filled with the sphere.
One of the most intense scenes I'd ever witnessed.
Flames and shadows.
Colors from unknown sources swirled together.
Honestly, I wasn't sure if we could even enter that thing.
No clue what we'd face inside.
But nothing changed.
Orse and I shot toward the sphere like black meteors.
Just as we were about to enter.
Kwaaaa...!
The sky not far away tore open, revealing a massive dragon.
"Sis."
My heart sank.
Navardoje had exited the sphere first.
But she didn't look like she was announcing victory.
Plummeting headfirst, her eyes were closed like she was dead.
【Navardoje...!】
Orse's face went pale.
No fatal wounds visible, but she was unconscious.
"That bastard Akasha finally...!"
Our ascent slowed.
Orse glanced between Navardoje and the sphere, at a loss.
I clenched my fist.
Fuck, seriously, what're you hesitating for?
I swept back my bangs and yelled at Orse.
"Orse! I'll be fine, go save sis! Come back after!"
【But you don't have wings...!】
"Shut up and go, you idiot! Wanna regret it till you die like me?!"
I couldn't stand the frustration.
I punched Orse right in the face.
Crack!
Her roughly snapped-back head returned to normal.
Orse caught her breath, gritted her teeth, and muttered.
【...If you die first, I won't forgive you.】
"Just shut up and throw me far!"
Orse squeezed her eyes shut.
She grabbed my arm and hurled me skyward.
Then, spinning toward Navardoje, she kicked my outstretched leg away hard.
Paaaaang!
Our intertwined bodies flew in opposite directions.
Orse's body explosively swelled.
The moment he returned to his true form and reached Navardoje, the sphere swallowed me.
"Hup."
I furrowed my brow.
Inside the sphere was much like it looked from outside.
Disjointed lights and colors swirled in a vortex.
Seniel's life force it once held had vanished somewhere.
It was like chaos given physical form.
'They actually fought in a place like this.'
I admired sis.
Overwhelming mana stabbed at my body like needles, making it hard to breathe.
Crimson embers scattered everywhere.
Traces of Navardoje's fierce battle.
Even in defeat, her power lingered, resisting.
"You fucker, where're you hiding?"
Anger boiled up.
I had to find Akasha quick.
Thankfully, familiar presences dotted around here and there amid my search.
Kwaaaaang!
A torrent of power ripped through the colors and slammed into me.
"Kuk!"
I barely blocked it.
As I flew helplessly, I swung my sword behind me.
Boom!
The sword aura exploded, slowing my momentum.
Turning toward the attack's origin, I saw a shadow in the storm's center.
A battered Akasha stared down at me silently.
"Akasha!!"
I roared in fury.
Akasha didn't respond.
He just stood there, impassively watching me plummet.
"You bastard...!"
I still hated the guy.
He knew.
That he didn't need to exert himself.
That I, without wings or a mount, couldn't touch him.
Fine then. All or nothing.
I'd even drunk the former king's blood. I'd done everything possible.
Gripping the hilt, aura burst forth.
Intensified sunset hues enveloped Akasha.
And...
"...Fuck!"
Nothing changed.
Even after cleaving the earth, my aura didn't reach.
The straw I'd clung to scattered.
A crack appeared in the center of his mask.
A hissing sound leaked from the slit like a mouth.
『■.』
It sounded like mockery.
He extended his fingers again.
Intangible waves crashed toward me.
I countered with sword strikes.
Sharper after drinking blood, but no dramatic shift.
Kwajik!
The incompletely severed power wave blasted me away.
"What the hell are you...?"
Bounced back, he receded from view.
Everything went dark.
What the fuck was this guy?
Why wouldn't my sword reach?
Yet even as despair crept in, my hands moved.
Exploding at my feet again, preparing to launch upward.
Win or lose.
I'd caught my breath and was about to unleash sword aura.
Suddenly, something surged from below, grabbing my collar and rocketing up.
"Huh?"
Not Orse.
But a familiar face.
White hair whipped in the wind.
Realizing what it was, I gasped.
"Abel."
"Pathetic brat. I can't watch anymore."
Abel growled.
The totally unexpected face left me speechless.
First time seeing him since returning from Bald World.
"You were watching the whole time?"
Abel stayed silent.
Gripping my collar, he soared high into the sky.
Flames and shadows parted, revealing Akasha.
Abel drew his sword with his free hand.
"...Prove you're big bro's kid."
"What?"
"Damn it, after ruining my plans, don't you dare lose to that lumbering oaf!"
Abel bellowed.
No time to ask what bullshit that was.
He hurled me aside and leaped at Akasha.
Fast as ever.
His slash painted the sky just as Akasha extended his fingers.
Kwaaaaang!
Abel flew like he'd been hit by a catapult, plummeting out of the sphere.
"Kraaak!"
"Abel!"
I'd hoped a bit, but no reversal.
Still, not a meaningless sacrifice.
Akasha's focus was entirely on Abel.
I was already right in his face.
Close enough to slash.
Akasha turned to me after confirming Abel's fall.
"No clue what's going on, but...!"
This was probably the last chance.
Akasha extended his fingers.
Intangible rapids crashed head-on.
No place to retreat anyway.
I spun my whole body, swinging the sword wide.
Naviroje-style spinning slash.
The first technique my silver snake teacher taught me.
Kagagagak!
Blade clashed with magic, dissonance echoing.
"Kuh!"
As expected, the feedback was heavy.
Something secret in this guy's magic.
Still, I didn't stop.
Gripped the hilt harder, adding power to the spin.
Fwoosh!
Suddenly, flames bloomed behind the blade.
Embers scattering around clung to the sword.
"This is...!"
My eyes widened.
Navardoje was helping me.
Embers fused with the blade, boosting its power.
The brighter and bigger the fire grew, the faster the slash accelerated.
Yet still short of a decisive blow.
A foe worthy of the catastrophe title.
Suddenly, Father's words flashed in my mind.
- Even if you'd inherited it, nothing much would've changed.
No idea why now.
Wishing the blood I'd gulped held wish-granting power?
Absurd, but maybe.
Situation was that hopeless.
I thought.
If, just if that was true and I could make a wish.
Even one.
"...Let me land one hit on this bastard."
I whispered.
A power from unknown origin layered onto my hands.
Tiny and faint, but enough to tip the balance.
The stalled slash pushed forward.
Magic split.
The crack on Akasha's mask vanished.
『■?』
He hurriedly added more fingers.
Five in total.
The pressure crushing my body amplified sharply.
"Kuk!"
Vision tinted red.
Backflowing blood burst between my teeth.
I'd be lying if it didn't hurt like hell.
It fucking hurt.
"Huuuuh...!"
But I endured.
Couldn't lose on grit to some sorcerer.
The blade began horizontally slicing his cloak.
Incredibly tough, but not unslashable.
The sword was now fully wreathed in flames.
Fwoooosh!!
The growing fire exploded once more.
The blade caught mid-cloak emerged on the other side.
A blazing line etched across Akasha's body.
『......!!!』
No sound.
Akasha's severed upper body shot skyward.
The moment the flames around the blade died.
Puuuung—!
The raging sphere dispersed, unveiling the vast night sky.