The Inevitable Devourer
The moment they entered the city, the first thing they saw was a scene of indiscriminate slaughter. Why else would such a grand banquet have been held? It must have been to commemorate a fitting occasion. The horrors unfolding everywhere were even worse than those during the raid on Solemnute. Citizens' cries for help rang out, mingled with the figures of soldiers and knights fighting to save them. Yet there were still too many hands needed—far too many who couldn't be reached in time. Amid that chaos, Ludenberg and Ashytara led the knights forward.
Every time a flash of sword light gleamed from Ludenberg's hand, erosion beasts crumpled one after another. Whenever dark energy spread from Ashytara's grasp, the beasts vanished without a trace. But their path was still long. The city was vast, and the erosion beasts were endless in number. There was no time to waste. Ludenberg fought as Ludenberg did, and Ashytara as Ashytara did. The two threw everything they had into massacring the erosion beasts swarming the city.
In the midst of that hellish nightmare, their efforts alongside the knight order began to carve out a path. But then—
Kieeeeaak!
A scream tore across the sky, and right before them, as they dispatched more beasts, a colossal erosion beast revealed itself. It dwarfed most buildings—a Highest erosion beast. The highest-grade ones they'd faced so far had mostly taken human forms, but this new one before their eyes was anything but. It resembled the massive dragons said to have lived in ancient times. An overwhelming pressure emanated from its four pairs of eyes and the grotesque horns sprouting above them. The membrane of its black wings was embedded with countless human faces, preserved in agony. Its enormous tail bristled with barbs, and its claws were strong and sharp enough to cleave any metal.
Just looking at it stirred revulsion, hardening Ludenberg and Ashytara's expressions. And that wasn't all. The sheer presence exuded an intimidating aura. Ludenberg felt as if he were facing the Devourer from his first trial.
That thing's probably the strongest in this erosion. It's on the verge of evolving into a Devourer. In that case...
He had to keep Ashytara far from it. He'd sensed it while fighting alongside her just now—she wasn't weak by any means. Upper-grade erosion beasts were no match for her power.
As long as she doesn't push herself, she'll be fine.
He glanced at her, then spoke.
"Tara."
"Yeah."
"I'll take the one in front of us. You go with the knights and save the citizens. If we get pinned down here, more people will die."
"...You sure you'll be okay?"
"Yeah. Don't worry."
Ashytara looked up at him with concern, but Ludenberg replied confidently, drawing from his experience slaying a Devourer in the first trial.
I just need to watch its attacks closely and respond like always. And the moment I find its heart, pierce it.
"...Got it. Be careful."
"You too."
The instant he answered, Ludenberg charged at the erosion beast. The dragon-shaped monster seemed to finally notice him, unleashing a ferocious roar. Witnessing the scene, Ashytara closed her eyes briefly, then steeled her anxious face with resolve. Leaving the Highest erosion beast behind, she led the knights and priests away.
"Follow me."
"Yes, High Priestess."
"...High Priestess. Will the Captain be alright?"
"Don't you know your captain's strength? He'll handle a Highest erosion beast without issue. Believe in him. Your captain is strong."
"...Yes."
"Hurry. The city's in danger. If we get stuck here, more will suffer."
"Understood!"
"If you're that worried about your captain, save the city quickly and come back. He won't fall until then."
With that resolve, Ashytara increased her pace.
* * *
The Highest erosion beast was no easy foe, clearly on the cusp of evolving into a Devourer. From the faces protruding from its black membrane came foul breaths that converged and blasted toward him. Everything the noxious gusts touched corroded and withered away. Nor did the beast's body stay idle. As Ludenberg dodged the foul energy and ran, its massive tail whipped toward him.
He leaped over the tail and kept charging. No sooner had he evaded it than another blast of foul breath came. Among all the erosion beasts he'd faced, this was the trickiest—grotesque beyond measure. And it wasn't just the breath; occasionally, it yanked chains from its body and hurled them at him alongside the blasts.
Damn it. Pulling all sorts of crap from its body.
Approaching was nearly impossible, but Ludenberg exploited every fleeting gap in its attacks.
It won't evolve into a Devourer anyway. Just take it step by step. Don't rush.
Sending Ashytara away was for her safety, of course, but also to prevent the beast's evolution. From the first trial, he knew how Highest erosion beasts became Devourers. When on the verge, they absorbed surrounding erosion beasts for sustenance. Without that fuel, things would change.
That was his aim—to stop the evolution. Dodging chains, breath, and the beast's body, he pressed forward. The stench assaulted his nose, lethal threats rained down, but he permitted not a single hit. His advance never halted.
Moments repeated endlessly. Deflecting a chain—one moment. Evading foul breath—one moment. Slicing the beast's flesh—one moment. Those moments coalesced into a flow. Ludenberg ran along it, toward where it led.
When the flow finally halted, Ludenberg stood before the dragon-shaped Highest erosion beast's snout. Its body was a mangled ruin. Even its famed regeneration couldn't withstand his relentless assault.
Now, to finish it. He located the heart amid the wreckage and thrust his sword in. The beast lost its vitality, collapsing. The foul masses forming its body scattered, oozing into the ground.
"...Is that it?"
The city seemed mostly cleared. Sending Ashytara and the knights had been the right call—they were capable, quick to respond to threats.
So what now?
A flicker of doubt crossed Ludenberg's mind. Was today not the catastrophe after all? It could be another day. Nothing was certain.
Does the trial end like this?
But then he recalled Raha's offhand words from before.
You'll get to meet Parrel Mer and Adalin Cielm in the second trial too.
The mention of meeting Parrel Mer and Adalin Cielm meant the second trial wasn't over yet.
So it's neither the trial's end nor the catastrophe... What the hell is going on?
Confusion gripped him briefly. This was Liberatus's past, unmistakably. Only when that story concluded could he meet Parrel Mer and Adalin Cielm.
When does the past end?
He pondered deeply, but no answers came now.
If today isn't the catastrophe, does that mean something worse? Damn it. What...
As he brooded, Ashytara approached, having cleared the city's threats.
"Lude!"
"Tara. You okay?"
"Yeah. You?"
"Me too."
"...Good work."
"You too."
As Ludenberg and Ashytara exchanged words, the sky began to clear. Still dark night, but the ominous red hue had faded.
"Let's head back."
"...Yeah."
* * *
Outside the trial world, watching the scene, Raha laughed in disbelief. Leven beside her did the same.
"Who knew it'd turn out like this."
"..."
Leven was too stunned for words.
"Probably because he fought a Devourer before. He saw through how Highest erosion beasts evolve, making this possible. Or maybe his feelings for Ashytara were just that strong. So cute. Even after I told him it's all an illusion."
"Illusion or not... to him, it's only natural."
"True. Still, being too exceptional is a headache. Isn't it?"
"Wasn't it expected? So, what's your plan? The story won't end like this."
"Well... no choice. Since Ludenberg roamed freely in the second trial, this was bound to happen."
"Hardly a trial at this point."
"Trial... yeah. I hate forcing it, but... no way around it now. We've strayed too far from Liberatus's past. Time to intervene."
Raha flicked her hand lightly. At that moment, the Highest erosion beast's crumbling, polluting mass began to regenerate.
"A thousand years ago, it was a Devourer that killed Amora. Little things can change, but not this. This is the story's finale—and it can't change."
With that, Raha twisted the derailed trial back to its original course.
* * *
Crack. Crunch.
Something forcibly reconnecting echoed. Amid the chaos, it was faint, but Ludenberg's sharp senses caught it immediately.
"...What the hell."
In that instant, Raha's voice whispered in his ear.
The trial starts now, Ludenberg. It was a Devourer that killed Amora. This can't change—it's the story's finale.
"...Damn it."
As he'd suspected when the erosion opened, today was indeed the predestined catastrophe. In some form, he had to witness Ashytara's death. That was the curtain of the second trial.
Behind him loomed a being slightly larger than himself—a human body atop a dragon's head, fist clenched. The second Devourer to reveal itself after the first trial glared at Ludenberg and Ashytara.