The Hero (5)
"That is a first—someone asking me to clean up monsters." Grand Duke Quenor scoffed, sounding utterly dumbfounded.
I narrowed my eyes and studied Grand Duke Quenor. Even a cursory glance revealed that his physical condition was far from normal. His mana circulation system was on the verge of collapse. Though his aura remained sharp, it was fraying and disorganized. Having fought for two days straight, literally unleashing his aura without a single moment of rest, it would have been stranger if he were perfectly fine.
"You should be glad I'm not sending you back. Your body is in such a state that it wouldn't be strange if I did, Your Grace. You can't even circulate your mana properly right now."
Grand Duke Quenor looked taken aback by my words, but his expression soon softened into a subtle smile. It was the look of a master watching a disciple who had grown to match his own stature.
"Can you see all of that now, Elroy?"
"It just turned out that way. If you're confident you can fight without overexerting yourself, Your Grace, you're welcome to help me later."
I looked toward the Giant. The second stage of the Holy Sword was not yet fully unlocked. While I could force its power out, I had not yet mastered the second condition the Holy Sword had mentioned—the true method of wielding its power.
I nodded at the Holy Sword's words. Unlocking the second stage was on an entirely different level compared to the first. A force far greater than when I first unleashed the first stage surged through my entire body, placing such a severe strain on me that even my body, reinforced by the Crown of Thorns, creaked under the pressure. If I had tried to unlock the second stage without activating the Crown of Thorns first, my physical vessel would have shattered, unable to withstand the sheer power.
Yes. Thank you for understanding. I felt as though I was just a hair's breadth away from reaching that realm, but we did not have the luxury of time to indulge in such patience.
I stared up at the towering form of the Giant, which stretched high into the heavens. Its silhouette, barely discernible through the raging blizzard, was colossal—easily hundreds of meters tall. Looking at the Giant, I recalled the abyss from the vision shown to me by the Crown of Thorns. This Giant was not deeper than that pit. The brief night beginning to blanket the dark clouds of the Boundary Line was not darker than the pitch-black void within that abyss.
"Indeed, it seems it is not yet time for the world to end." I muttered, raising the Holy Sword. The blizzard was growing fiercer.
First, I need to clash with it. See how the bastard reacts. I closed my eyes and began to concentrate. A tiny ember smoldered at the center of my heart. From it, threads of mana stretched outward, circulating through my body. A vortex began to swirl beneath my feet, a phenomenon strikingly similar to when Grand Duke Quenor unleashed his aura. The swirling torrent of mana carried a sharp, lethal edge, beginning to tear even the wind to shreds. The mana erupting from me swallowed the blizzard whole, asserting its overwhelming presence.
"…! Everyone, fall back from Hero Elroy!" Grand Duke Quenor ordered, his voice laced with shock as he sensed the change in me. The Giant still held its head high in arrogant defiance. Judging by the shift in its momentum, it was about to resume its march.
"In that case, I'll make you look this way." Stronger. Even stronger. The ground beneath me gouged inward. The accumulated snow blasted into the air, scattering to reveal the bare earth below. Light began to coalesce around the Holy Sword. An auspicious energy gathered along the blade, spiraling outward. My first strike would be a single, straight slash falling from heaven to earth.
"Do not look beyond me, Giant." The blade of the Holy Sword howled, tearing through the mirror-like frost of the Boundary Line. The radiant light shredded the monsters rushing forward, hurtling straight toward the Giant's massive body.
Rumble—!!! A deafening explosion erupted. Though the strike left no physical wound on the Giant's body, the atmosphere shifted instantly. A minor tremor shook the earth. The Giant's feet, which had been relentlessly marching toward Evernode, slowly began to turn. Straight toward where I stood.
Indeed, I had certainly caught the Giant's attention. A sound like a massive tree snapping and crashing echoed through the air. Sensing a gaze that threatened to crush my entire body, I looked up. The head resting upon the Giant's shoulders was slowly, creakingly turning toward me.
"It moved..." The Giant's gaze weighed heavily not just on me, but on all the knights. Blood drained from the faces of almost every knight, save for Grand Duke Quenor. The Giant's oppressive gaze spared no one, crushing even the monsters. Halting their assault on us, the monsters cowered flat against the ground, trembling at the sudden shift in the Calamity.
Rumble— If an entire mountain were to move, it would make a sound just like this. As the Giant shifted its stance, its feet began to utterly erase everything in their path. Trees were ground into dust, and monsters were crushed into nothing but streaks of blood. The Giant had clearly recognized me. And with it, the entire world within the Boundary Line recognized me as well, turning violently hostile. Its sole purpose now was to kill me.
The wind literally became blades, tearing the world apart. It scraped against the barrier formed by my swirling mana. Tree trunks rattled and shook before hurtling toward me like massive spears. To prevent the aftershocks from reaching the knights behind me, I poured out my mana and swung the Holy Sword. The wind, which had been hacking randomly at the landscape, began to blow directly against me, trying to halt my advance.
I shook my head at the Holy Sword's words. No, I wouldn't just hold my ground—I would move forward. The tiny ember in my heart flared. The fiercely pulsing essence of mana responded to my will, expanding the size of my protective barrier. It pressed down on me. As if I were pathetic. As if I were nothing. The Giant's mana bore down on me, and I could feel its gaze looking down at me. I did not avert my eyes; I glared right back. Even if you can hold the world beneath your feet, I will not yield. For I am the one who must carry the world upon my shoulders.
"Not until you bow that arrogant head of yours beneath my feet—" I gritted my teeth and took a step forward. The reward for that single step was even fiercer resistance. Refusing to permit my advance, the Giant crushed down on me with its mana. The ground beneath my feet began to sink. I took yet another step forward.
"I will not bow my head." A battle of sheer power ensued between the Giant and me. The Giant's mana was infinite. Mine was vast, but not limitless. If this tug-of-war continued, my mana barrier would eventually tear apart. I might survive, but the knights behind me would not. I had to break through. I couldn't be pushed back. Not like this—!
Just then, someone stepped up to my side. "My, it seems Evernode has completely lost its pride." The burden on me suddenly lightened. My eyes widened as I looked to my side. Grand Duke Quenor, who had somehow shaken off the Giant's pressure, was smiling as he channeled his mana. His blue mana mingled with my silver mana, reinforcing the barrier. Though his mana circulation had been unstable moments ago, he had already recovered significantly—and was now supporting me with a strength that seemed even greater than before.
"Did you truly think a knight of the North would succumb to a mere chill and a blizzard like this?" Grand Duke Quenor said with a smile. He turned back. The knights of Evernode, who had been desperately bracing themselves by driving their swords into the ground, were now using those very weapons to push themselves back up. Grand Duke Quenor raised his voice, his expression stern as he spurred his men on.
"Were the dozens of winters we endured, the winters we overcame, any weaker than this?" "...No, Your Grace." Hemil was the first to stand. Drawing upon his mana, he coated his sword in aura. Once again, another hand joined to support my mana barrier. Hemil looked at me and gave a firm nod.
"Tell me, Hans, Adrian, Tyron! Were your winters warmer than this? Did we surrender and yield our fortress then? Did we let the biting winds tear down our walls?" At Grand Duke Quenor's rebuke, the knights shook their heads. Tyron stood, and Hans and Adrian rose almost simultaneously. Like Hemil, they ignited their auras upon their blades.
"No, Your Grace!" "Never! A chill like this is not even worth a single winter!" One by one, the knights rose to their feet. Grand Duke Quenor's voice thundered even louder. "Answer me, knights of Evernode! What is your duty?"
Serene, who had followed me, spoke up. "To risk our lives... and protect... Evernode."
"Then how long do you intend to cower behind someone else's back? It is not enough that we should be the first to take the enemy's head! I ask you, will we fall to our knees and yield in humiliation? Will we allow those filthy feet to trample the fortress of Evernode?!" "No!!!" The knights roared in unison, all of them standing tall. One by one, more hands rose to support my back. The barrier thickened. My mana stabilized. The knights' mana wove together, forming an impenetrable wall.
My vision cleared. The Giant's form was revealed before me. Though the Giant's mana was growing even stronger, it could not pierce the tightly woven mana of the knights. Instead, their collective power began to push back the blizzard and the cold, carving out a path for me to run. The snow subsided. The wind could no longer touch us. Beyond the bare earth, a straight path stretched forward. At the end of that path lurked the Calamity I had to face. I gripped the Holy Sword tightly and gathered my mana. My heart began to beat wildly.
"Hold your ground! If you cannot sever the Giant's neck yourselves, you must at least ensure you are not a burden to the one who goes to do so!" "Yes, Your Grace!" Grand Duke Quenor looked at me. I met his gaze. The knights' aura blocked the Giant's blizzard, shining brilliantly with a kaleidoscope of light.
"Go, Hero Elroy." Grand Duke Quenor held another knight's sword in his left hand and offered his own treasured blade to me. I blinked, looking back and forth between the Grand Duke and his sword. "It is surely no match for the Holy Sword, but it will not hinder you. It is the blade that has protected the Stroft family since our very beginning."
I nodded and drew the Grand Duke's sword from its scabbard. The blade hummed softly, as if responding to its master's will, fitting perfectly into my grip. Feeling the weight of both swords, I turned to face the Giant. "I'll return it to you in good condition." "If there is even a single scratch on it, I will not forgive you." I chuckled at the Grand Duke's joke and shrugged. "I'll do my best to be careful."
The path of aura. I stepped onto it. The knights' wind, their will, their faith, their hope—the aura spoke of many things. Another step. And another. Feeling all of those emotions, I transitioned from a walk to a sprint. I accelerated, faster and faster, until my body was enveloped in a brilliant shroud of aura. At the end of the path, I crouched low and leaped. The Grand Duke's sword in my left hand was cloaked in my silver aura, while the Holy Sword in my right unleashed a blinding white light as its power unlocked. My body felt weightless, as if liberated. I soared infinitely high, piercing through the blizzard, the cold, and the clouds, ascending into the heavens. The clouds of the Boundary Line scattered before my aura, revealing the dark blue sky. Before I knew it, the night had passed, and the first light of dawn was breaking. At the end of my ascent, the Giant's head came into view. It was a featureless face, devoid of eyes, nose, or mouth—like a mannequin. Atop it was a glowing red, cross-shaped crack.
"So, that's what your face looks like." Wuuuung— A sound like the amplified cry of a whale echoed through the air. I wondered if it was the sound of the Giant's wrath. The Giant's head turned to follow me. Before it could reach me, I detonated my aura and hurled myself straight toward its head.
Boom—!! An explosion erupted from the Giant's head. For the first time, the Giant staggered backward. A biting chill crept up my swords and into my body, but the mana coursing through my veins quickly dispelled it. Inside the cross-shaped crack on the Giant's head, a glowing sphere rotated, locking its gaze onto me.
"It won't end with just one." With those words, I brought down the sword in my left hand. Crash! The Giant staggered back once more. I didn't stop. My sword dance had begun. Striking relentlessly with both left and right, I began to tear down the Giant's defenses. Thud. Thud. Pushed back by my onslaught, the Giant retreated step by step. I couldn't sever its neck just yet. If so, I would simply keep driving it back until I could.
Rumble—!! The retreating Giant collided with a mountain ridge. The mountainside collapsed with a thunderous roar. As the Giant stumbled and fell, I accelerated toward it, bringing down my crossed swords. Crash—!! The Giant let out another wrathful howl. It seemed it had finally recognized me not as a mere insect to be swept away, but as a true enemy. The Giant reached out, attempting to swat me out of the air. Spinning in midair, I drove my blades against its incoming fist. I poured out my mana, resisting the colossal physical force pushing against me, but I was ultimately overwhelmed by the Giant's sheer strength. I was sent flying, crashing into and shattering a mountain peak on the opposite side.
"Cough—!" My aura shattered, and the impact slammed directly into my body. I coughed up blood, my body trembling. A single attack. An attack I had barely managed to block was enough to half-shatter my body. But the Giant's assault would not end with just one blow. I gritted my teeth as I watched the massive shadow blanket the sky. I had to stand up and block it.
Crash—!! I slipped through the gaps of the Giant's fingers. Its hand ruthlessly crushed the mountain, grinding it to dust. I leaped onto the back of its hand, kicked off, and sprinted. I ignored the pain. Whether my bones were broken or my organs ruptured, as long as my body held its shape, I could still fight.
Wuuuung. Along with the Giant's cry, its other hand came hurtling toward me. Another collision. This time, as I was blown back, I arrested my momentum in midair. The Giant then spread both hands wide, attempting to clap them together to crush me to death. I dove straight down. Boom—!!! A shockwave of wind erupted from the Giant's clapping hands. I crashed into the ground, staggering, as the Giant raised its massive foot above me. Do you think I'll just stand here and take it? Once again, I soared upward. My aura blazed like a flame fed with oil. Before the Giant could even bring its foot down, it collided with my attack and faltered. It was still not enough. I had to go further. As I gritted my teeth and gripped my swords, the voice of the Holy Sword echoed in my ears.
Her voice was gentle, entirely unfitting for the chaos of the battlefield. In that moment, it felt as though the flow of time had ground to a halt.
The tension in my hands eased slightly.
If it is the current you, you will understand what this means. A single snowflake drifted down. Amidst the falling snow, that solitary flake was strangely, vividly clear. It fluttered, blanketing the world. That single snowflake. I raised my sword with utmost care. The blade of the Holy Sword felt as light as a feather. And so, I thrust the sword toward the falling snowflake. Prick. The tip of the Holy Sword pierced the exact center of the snowflake. In that instant, the sword and I became one.
The Holy Sword's voice carried a note of pride.
The Giant was rising once more. I looked down at my hands. I couldn't feel the weight of the swords at all. It was as if they had been a part of me from the very beginning. Once again, I swung the sword in my left hand, piercing another snowflake. Its shape did not shatter; it remained perfectly intact upon the tip of the blade.
"…I did it." The words slipped from my lips of their own accord. In a dreamlike voice, I called out to the Holy Sword. "Holy Sword."
Once more, an unprecedented power enveloped my body, and my vision was washed in pure white. It was a silent, pristine space. I raised my head. At the edge of my sight stood a woman, her face obscured by the light behind her, looking at me. I could faintly discern a flower crown resting upon her head. A soft, warm smile played upon her lips.
"You have done well to come this far, Elroy." The woman walked slowly toward me. She reached out and took my hand. Feeling her warmth, I blinked. For a fleeting moment, I was able to see her face. Hair as white as snow, and warm, ruby-red eyes. Looking into my eyes, she smiled and spoke. "Continue to move forward."
And then, the dream vanished. Before I knew it, I was standing in the freezing air once more. The spiraling Holy Sword and my aura flared up like wings. The Giant let out a thunderous cry, crushing the mountains as it closed in on me.
I nodded and raised both swords high. And then, I brought down my final strike toward the Giant and the Boundary Line.
Quenor watched as the silver meteor, drawing a brilliant white trail of light, clashed in a life-or-death struggle against the Giant. The meteor seemed to be pushed back, crashing into the earth. Yet, the light did not fade. Before he knew it, the knights had gathered by Quenor's side, watching that light together.
"He will win," Serene said, her voice filled with conviction. The Grand Duke nodded. "Because he is the Hero."
Another monster fell by Daphne's hand. Today, there was barely any offensive. Even before afternoon arrived, the monsters had all hastily retreated back into the forest. The Boundary Line grew even denser, spreading its oppressive influence, while the Hero's party and the soldiers of Evernode stared at the Boundary Line with desperate eyes. Please, let Elroy and the Grand Duke return safely.
Tremors shook the earth again and again. It seemed the fierce battle against the Giant was still raging. Standing at the crossroads of despair and hope, they felt the shadow of despair growing longer. Elroy. Just as Daphne clasped her hands tightly together, the sky suddenly cleared. The soldiers and knights looked up at the sky, utterly bewildered. Daphne's eyes widened as she stared at the parting heavens. Two streaks of light sliced through the dark clouds, shining with magnificent brilliance.
The winter vanished, leaving behind nothing but a single snowflake. Beneath my hands and the path of my blades, the Boundary Line was severed. I exhaled slowly and looked ahead. The trace left by my sword path was carved clearly across the earth and the mountains. Staring at the end of that scar, I drove the Holy Sword and the Grand Duke's sword into the ground. The fourth Calamity, the Giant, had fallen. Evernode did not fall. From the severed sky, the sun shattered the night, pouring down its brilliant, radiant light.