Chapter 236
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 236
[KRAAAAAH!]
As I plunged the holy sword into the wound, Girena's ear-splitting shriek echoed throughout the mental barrier.
The beast thrashed its massive body in a desperate struggle, but I ignored its resistance and drove Ascalon deeper into the nape of its neck.
Ascalon—the holy sword imbued with the power of purification.
It severed the bones of the ancient beast, a creature thousands of years old, and began melting away the demonic energy that formed the very foundation of its existence.
Ssssss—
Its life force was incinerated by the sword's divine power, dissipating into the air as dark blue smoke.
[No! This can't be… It can't end like this! I still have things to do!]
Even with the holy sword embedded in its neck, the beast resisted violently. I gritted my teeth, pouring every ounce of strength into the hand gripping the hilt.
After a long, agonizing struggle, I finally managed to sever the head completely from the body.
Thud—
The massive torso collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud. Beside it, the enormous head rolled to a stop.
Clang—
I tossed the holy sword aside and collapsed next to Girena's corpse.
"Hah… hah…"
I had defeated one of the pinnacles of this world—one of the Twelve Honored Ones.
But I had no time to dwell on the achievement. I simply closed my eyes and gasped for breath. For now, one fact was enough to sustain me:
I survived.
Ssshh—
As the tension left my body, the mental barrier dissolved like melting snow. When the barrier vanished, the moonlit scenery outside came back into focus.
Thankfully, Freya and the other three were safe.
Grrr—?
Roooar—
Perhaps because Girena, the Honored One of the beastkin and leader of the werewolves, was dead, the pack was in total disarray. Vassals who lose their master lose the core of their power; the werewolf pack was now little more than a group of slightly oversized wolves.
Slice—
After finishing off the remaining stragglers, Freya and the others slowly approached me.
"Are you all right?" Freya asked, offering her hand.
But I couldn't take it.
"Sorry… but I can't move a single finger."
From wielding Ascalon, my hand had melted and regenerated over and over. The newly formed bones and muscles felt alien, and after such a grueling fight, I was utterly spent.
"Undine, wash him," Kiriel commanded.
She summoned the water spirit to cleanse me of Girena's blood. Once the gore was washed away, Kiriel’s ears turned bright red, and she quickly averted her gaze.
"D-do you have anything I can wear?"
My clothes had been torn to shreds during the desperate battle. Since my entire body—save for my head—had regenerated, I was currently standing there practically naked.
"Ahem."
Beatrice cleared her throat and discreetly turned her head away. Elena took off the white robe she was wearing and wrapped it around me. She crouched down, her gaze holding a strange mix of emotions.
"Don't you have anything to say to us?"
I looked at them and apologized without hesitation.
"…I'm sorry, everyone."
It had been unavoidable, but I still felt the weight of guilt for hiding my identity for so long. At my apology, Elena smiled brightly and helped me to my feet.
"Alright, up you go. Where to now?"
With a trembling hand, I slid the ring I had taken off back onto my finger and looked toward the city center.
"Where else? We have to go save the others."
We had dealt with Girena, but many enemies remained. Leaving the corpse of the Honored One behind, our party headed toward the burning city.
Near the port, high above Glyphish.
Bwoooom—
With the thunderous blast of a horn, the powerful mana cannon mounted on the bow of the Sky Whale fired.
Zzzzhhha—
A green beam of mana illuminated the night sky. It branched out into multiple streams like a firework, vaporizing the demons in its path. But for every monster killed, new ones poured in, pounding relentlessly against the Sky Whale’s protective barrier.
Carmilla and Amur were leading the horde in the assault on the floating ship.
BOOM— KABOOM!
Amur hammered the barrier with his glowing red fists.
"A relic of the Golden Age, indeed. It's not easy to break through."
The floating ship was a precious asset to humanity's forces. The demons had decided it would be best to destroy at least one during this invasion. Moreover, many students and refugees were hiding inside; slaughtering them for a ritual would allow the demons to accumulate a massive amount of demonic energy and karma.
However, the ship's barrier and firepower were stronger than expected, making it difficult to breach.
In the midst of the attack, Carmilla looked up and scowled.
"Those humans are getting on my nerves."
The ship was one thing, but the Union professors on board were proving to be a nuisance. How arrogant of them, raining magic down from behind the safety of their barrier. She wanted to tear them to shreds, but since she couldn't break through, she was forced to dodge their spells.
Just as she was attacking with a sour expression… Carmilla’s eyes widened.
"…What? Girena's presence just vanished."
The presence she had felt from beyond the forest was gone without a trace. Amur turned around, his expression darkening.
"Gilean, what did you do?"
Shwaaa—
A magic circle appeared in mid-air, and Gilean stepped out from a cloud of black mist. He responded with a thin smile.
"Well, it seems our successor has won."
"What?"
The successor defeated Girena?
As Amur furrowed his brow at the unbelievable news, Carmilla lunged at Gilean, grabbing him by the collar.
"Hey, did you just leave them alone? What if that wolf bastard had killed the successor?"
She shook him, but Gilean remained calm.
"If he had died, it would have meant he wasn't worthy of the succession. But he won, didn't he? And now there's one less competitor…"
"…!"
Girena, who supported a different successor, was dead. This was a victory for Gilean's faction. The beastkin's standing in the demon world would weaken, allowing them to absorb the remnants of that faction.
Amur crossed his arms and asked cautiously, "Did you know he would win?"
Gilean was not one to act without certainty. This, too, might have been part of his design.
Gilean glanced down at the city below.
"Yes. Humans have a way of growing stronger when they have something to protect."
Reflected in Gilean's eyes was the image of the successor and the four female students running toward the burning city center. Each of them had the potential to become a hero, a saint, a grand mage, or a spirit king's contractor.
They were a threat, but at the same time, they were the shackles that bound the successor.
"As long as those four are alive, the successor will grow even stronger. And he won't be able to betray us."
Gilean’s smile widened.
"The successor will ultimately join us. If only… to save them."
Glyphish Central Plaza.
The city center was a landscape of screams and cries of despair. Flames devoured the buildings as monsters poured out from all directions, spreading through the streets like a plague.
In the midst of this chaos, a giant deer and a man stood facing each other.
The white-haired man, Iscariot, spoke in a calm, melodic voice.
"An ancient one, indeed. Worthy of being called a descendant of the Divine Beasts."
The corpses of demons were scattered around Isley. The monsters he had slain alone could form mountains and rivers. Covered in blood, Isley forced a smile.
"Hoo… You, too, are worthy of being called an Honored One of the demons."
However, one of Isley's beautiful, proud antlers was already shattered. He had sustained wounds that were difficult to heal even with the legendary regenerative powers of his Divine Beast bloodline. His attacker's blows had systematically destroyed his Mana Hole, Mana Heart, and Mana Brain. Death was knocking at his door.
Iscariot, on the other hand, was completely unscathed. His power was simply overwhelming.
Isley looked at him through blurry vision and realized the truth.
This… will be difficult.
While Ariel and the others evacuated the residents, Isley had confronted Iscariot. He had managed to tie the demon down, but it wasn't a fight between equals. It was closer to Iscariot simply toying with him.
This was the being who had single-handedly killed seven Spirit Knights and destroyed the Orb of the Spirit King.
Isley gritted his teeth. Truly… a fearsome being.
Iscariot’s Authority was 'the ability to live through the karma of other beings.' Even during the battle, Iscariot had transformed into the likeness of countless individuals, using their abilities as his own. If he wished, Iscariot could become anyone.
However…
He does not know the human heart. His essence is endlessly empty.
A being that takes human form and uses human words, but can never understand the soul. There could be no being more fitting of the term 'pure evil.'
"That was fun, ancient one. Now, disappear."
Confident in his victory, Iscariot reached out his hand.
Ssshh—
Simultaneously, the flow of time slowed to a crawl.
Iscariot's power was not limited to the Authority of the Doppelganger. He also possessed the power to manipulate time, which had been the source of Isley’s greatest struggle. That must have been how he defeated the other Spirit Knights.
Isley let out a soft sigh as the world around him faded to black and white.
A pity.
He had wanted to visit the place where she slept one last time, but it seemed even that small wish would go ungranted. But it was all right. Now, he could go to her side, just as he had always wanted.
Isley slowly closed his eyes and prayed.
O Lord, source of all forests. I pray you watch over the people of this land.
Just as Isley accepted his end—
CLANG—!
Someone stepped between him and Iscariot.
The one who blocked Iscariot's attack was a girl with hair as white as freshly fallen snow—Freya.
Then, a familiar voice called out.
"P-Professor!"
It was the student who always gave him trouble. Isley steadied his ragged breath.
"…Miss Kiriel, the little tomboy."
Kiriel trembled as she saw Isley's grievous wounds. "Th-this is…"
Isley was in a terrible state. His antler was broken, and large holes were torn in his chest and abdomen, blood pouring out in a steady stream. It wouldn't have been strange if he were already dead.
Seeing the injuries, Kiriel called out to Elena in a trembling voice.
"E-Elena, help him!"
"…"
Even at a glance, there was no hope of survival, but for Kiriel's sake, Elena placed her hands on Isley's body. A bright light shone, and Isley's flesh began to knit back together. But her divine magic could only regenerate the body; it couldn't replenish a depleted life force.
Isley spoke softly. "Save your divine power, Miss Elena. You will have much use for it in the future."
"…"
Gently taking Elena's hands away, Isley slowly turned his gaze.
"You've come as well, Roen."
"Yes, Professor."
Roen bit his lip. The physical wounds were closing, but the light of Isley's life was fading fast.
Isley looked at the burning city and parted his lips.
"The time has come, Roen. It is time for you to choose."
Roen closed his eyes and nodded. "I know."
As of today, Roen's role as the Student Council President of Union was over. A new destiny was being bestowed upon him.
"Good. Then I pray you make a choice you won't regret, Roen." Isley forced a smile. "I am so… sleepy. I think I must rest for a while."
With those final words, Isley slowly closed his eyes. Roen knelt on one knee before him and took his hand, offering a final farewell.
"For everything until now… thank you so much, Teacher."
I rose to my feet.
While Isley drifted into his final sleep in Kiriel's arms, I turned to face the white-haired man.
Iscariot Judar.
One of the Twelve Honored Ones who ruled over the demons, a being of pure dark lineage. He was also the final boss of the Myrillin Saga.
Iscariot looked at me, his expression unreadable.
"So it's you. The prophesied one who inherited His bloodline."
"…"
"But bloodline alone does not prove your worth. As one of the Twelve Honored Ones, I will test whether you are worthy of the succession."
"The Twelve Honored Ones…"
Until now, they were simply villains in a story. But from today, they were the enemies who had killed my teacher.
Gritting my teeth, I pulled off Derod's Ring.
"I just finished cleaning up one of you."