Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: 28-5. Must Live to Love
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Head gazed toward the deeply dug thorn trap, a triumphant smile curling his lips.
"Life and death are absolute. Even a hero like you can't defy fate."
The moment he finished speaking—
A sharp whoosh—!! Compressed air blades hurtled toward him.
"This is... Void Slash?!"
A technique from one of the Ten Heroes. Dragon Slayer Drake's move.
He must have devised it after witnessing Emperor Locke create a sonic boom with raw strength alone.
It sent chills down the spine to think a hero who relied solely on his holy sword's power could wield this.
"Wolf Fang."
"What...?!"
Wind whipped up. Raindrops scattered into the air in an instant. The man in the Black Knight helmet closed in at blinding speed, sword swinging.
Clang. The revolver clashed against steel. Head barely parried the blade with his gun.
A gash opened on his right arm. Blood spattered onto the sand, plip plop.
"...How? How did you nullify the Book of Life and Death?!"
"I'm a bit of a pure-hearted romantic."
"Bullshit..!!"
Triggers pulled once more, aiming for Licht's face and heart. But the Black Knight turned to water droplets, dodging every bullet like they were his natural predator.
If they'd fought before he gained Rain Aura, the tables would have turned completely. Drake's swordsmanship had long wind-ups by design.
At most, he'd figured Licht learned Shadow Slash. No way a hero from another world would grind years for such skills.
'Should've watched the grade exam myself.' Regret hit late.
He'd trusted only in Omniscience.
But what was this? The demon king felt hollow watching unpredicted Heavenly Demon techniques and a hero wielding multiple holy swords.
To counter Licht, who struck from nowhere and vanished, Head pressed the gun to his temple again.
"Dodge all you want—it's pointless!!"
Bang. The shot vibrated the air with a resonant hum. A massive bullet materialized beside the helmeted man.
Spinning at high speed, it attacked from the flank.
"Even an unavoidable strike like that..."
Against physics-defying assaults, Licht stayed calm, summoning another sword to counter.
"Reminiscence, Recollection."
In the rainy battlefield, something pitch-black plummeted again. The sword that had impaled Head, shattering his heart and vessels.
A mind sword that warped terrain. The instant its trigger fully depressed—
"...Too predictable, Head."
The stab point became the fulcrum; the ground flipped ninety degrees, birthing a sheer wall. Instant defense.
"Flipping the earth into a wall?!"
"Simple, isn't it?"
Head couldn't mask his shock. His bullet chewed through rock and sand, trying to pierce.
Boom. Kaboom. Impacts echoed repeatedly. Licht mirrored the motion, using Rain Aura to teleport and vary angles.
"...Blocked."
The huge slug halted, spin lost against the wall. Head stared vacantly at the sky. The book of lives and deaths penned via Omniscience.
He drew the Book of Life and Death from his coat and tossed it to the dirt.
"Book of Life and Death—null. Omniscience—ineffective. A hero blocking my holy sword too."
"Hey, you deaf? I'm the Black Knight..."
"Let's test that."
Head ditched his monocle, chambering his last bullet.
Click. Final round seated.
"Hero or not—I'll confirm it myself. Black Knight Lee Soo-hyun."
Blood streamed from his eyes as he spoke.
I eyed Head Aike's transformation.
'Phase 3.'
Normally, pistol to the head here. Cylinder started with seven rounds.
'Now eight.'
Maybe regression count. Looked like his seventh loop.
'...Off. Too off.'
He claimed no me in his regressions. After that many, Pine becoming Nameless Saintess—best case?
Doubt surged; blood pounded my skull. 'Why?' flooded my thoughts.
Then.
"...Now it'll be a real fight. Yeah."
Head wrenched his neck back grotesquely, then fixed on me. Blood still weeping from his eyes.
"Hero of Conviction, Lee Soo-hyun."
"...What?"
"Full 'Omniscience' active now. Explains why my powers failed you."
Heh. The mad grin shrank me. Thought Head didn't run Omniscience constant.
Settings said he glimpsed all via it, recorded somehow, calculated from there.
Real-time blind spots let us exploit.
'No...'
Assumed regression, flipped full Omniscience? Hypothesis prickled every nerve.
"Spouting that while wearing the unremovable 'Helmet of Conviction,' hero."
Perk from the devs? Curious.
"Gear doesn't define a person."
Pine in Masterpiece gear or saintess robes—same her.
"Not some grand hero."
Just one happiness first. Save others if I can.
Greedy like that. Hate regrets like 'should've then.'
Fire seared it in. Lives finite. Do what you crave before end.
"And one bastard's a massive prick."
Black Heart maker shoves me in trash game as "hero"?
If that's heroics, I'm Black Knight.
Demon king takedown? No noble god's decree.
Ignored status alerts, charged anyway.
For her happiness. Her bright smile.
Years miserable? Her turn joyful.
"This drags, my head blows.... Fail this, next I kill you sure."
Revolver spun on finger, morphed red scythe.
Isekai reaper hero-summoned? Real? New phase dumbfounded.
"...Light thoughts doom you."
White Wolf, Shadow Fangs primed.
"No next. Head."
Awooooo—!!
Howl boomed through rain. Heartspawn behind.
Snowy peak-sized white wolf materialized.
Honed pure on Pine Granasia. Less oomph than ultimate Demon King Slayer, sure.
'Counter over all-or-nothing where miss means death.'
Stamped earth, ponderous steps surging. Straight charge, no feints.
Muscles twisted, howling. Cumulative wounds heavy. Like ramming a speeding car.
'Fail total kill now..!!'
World rewinds; this line Pine happy maybe.
'Next loop's miserable.'
Teeth ground, pain shoved down. Miss seals her doom. Unrelated world or not,
'Hate imagining.'
Love her. Crave every her.
Sword high, ran. Dragged stone legs.
Exhaled throat-choking breath, boiled berserk blood.
"White Wolf, Shadow Fangs.... White wolf's fake."
Omni-demon calls me Conviction Hero.
"Shadow tail—black wolf—real."
My conviction? Meh.
"Slash shadow, done..!"
"Says who?"
Pure love invincible. Cliché creed.
Universal truth. Scoffed as scythe arced my shadow.
"Sorry, both real. My love's like that."
Our Pine "fake"? Laughable.
"Impossible. 'Conviction' trumping 'Omniscience'..?!"
Head barely jammed white fangs with scythe.
"Kuh..!"
Heart skewered, no block. Die already. Demon king's cue exit.
"Done?"
Tension melted at limp form. Regression fizzled, probably. His words: Conviction Hero?
"No rewinds left."
Conviction-locked regression. Blocked full Omni just now. Or was it?
"Kuhuhu.. Kuhahaha!!"
"Tough bastard, Head."
"Lee Soo-hyun. Prime stuff!!"
Shuddered full-body, scythe spun. Holy sword reverted: revolver.
"You bet life? My turn!!"
"...Huh?"
Heart gushing, raised hand skyward. What—
"Catastrophe."
⟨ Catastrophe ⟩
Chant done, world went night-black. Dread surged; skyward glance.
'Insane..!!'
Meteor-like.
"Kuhak..!! Your fleeing pals ensnared too!! My ultimate!!"
Disaster-scale mass. Sky-falling colossal spinning slug.
"Omni-proof, radius wipeout. Your move?! 'Conviction Hero'!!"
Head spat, mouth-eyes bleeding. True finale?
"Demon King Slayer."
⟨ Demon King Slayer ⟩
No options. Die casting this?
'Block Pine Nameless Saintess, injury.'
Stake life for her guard. Cast: eyes-mouth bled like Head's.
"Knockoff—not true Dragon Slayer—what's that do!!"
Head blood-laughed; ignored. Stomped high leap. Third: Wing Flow.
'What mass..?!'
Ggrrrk. Sword hand quaked. Counter first, chain to Slayer.
"Fool's pick. Crush..."
Then—vision: transparent, glittering forms.
"Pine Granasia..!! Last meddle!!"
Glass Knight's spell. Glass clones tanking ultimate with me.
Fleeting instant passed.
Wing Flow: foe's force reversed.
Reverse Scale Thrust: weakness pierced.
Void Slash: cut-focus, from Emperor sonic.
Shadow Slash finale.
Dragon Slayer Drake's secrets fused: Demon King Slayer.
"I.. wasn't wrong.."
Downward cleave bit someone. Slayer struck Omni-demon king; Head crumpled.
Crimson trail slashed academy field; chaos, two legs stood.
"Wrong, asshole."
Conviction's hero, Lee Soo-hyun alone.
"Licht..!! Behind..!!"
Victory relief hit. Urgent voice boomed field.
"Behind? Handled..."
Bang—.
Extra shot rang.
"My.. last.. shot.. tank this too.."
Thud. Head's whites rolled final; sprawled. Squeezed final trigger-pull.
"You.... prick..."
Heart-hit, Lee Soo-hyun reeled, toppled back. Glass barrier flared late block—too slow.
"No. Nooo!!"
Footfalls rushed. Harsh pants neared.
'Pine...'
Last glimpse: frantic Glass Knight. Blackout.