Shattering the Lich's Heart
The Lich from the original story was a fallen noble obsessed with reclaiming his family's lost glory. He'd summoned the monster Tantaros and done all sorts of futile things to get it back. And here he was, still at it.
As soon as I opened the door and saw the altar, I nearly burst out laughing.
"You bastard...! How did you...!!"
Kraka-boom!---!!
The moment I tried to approach the Lich, a massive glacier erupted from the ground.
Clang! A chilling, razor-sharp cold grazed my nape. I almost ended up as an ice skewer, but this was nothing.
I slashed the tip of the glacier with my sword and used the recoil to land on the floor.
"(Bitch! Now go do your job!)"
"Yes! I'm okay now!"
Ludia, snapping out of it, hopped off my back. She dashed straight into the chaos of dust clouds and explosions.
"...."
She'll be fine, right? Watching her disappear into the fray made me worry for some reason. I'd let her go because she insisted she could handle it...
...Eh, whatever. I can always swoop in and save her if needed.
"Where are you looking...!"
Whoooosh!---!!!
The shattered glacier shards from the floor came flying at me, razor-edged ice fragments clearly aimed at me and Ludia.
"Too slow!"
Ching! Clang! Clang!
My sword swings turned the pieces into scattered ice powder. Felt like a snowstorm in here.
Shhwick! But no time for sightseeing—I charged straight at the bastard.
So far, everything was going according to plan. Mari and Yunet were smashing the altar to bits, drawing all the aggro.
"Huuuh... Is this not it...???"
Meanwhile, Ludia was searching for the Lich's heart—the Life Force Vessel. Seeing the altar set up just like in the original for summoning Tantaros meant the vessel had to be hidden nearby.
And my job? Knock this guy's spirit right out of him. Without hurting Ludia.
Stab!--!!
Right up in the Lich's face before he knew it. I plunged my sword into his torso without hesitation.
But that hollow sensation... It was like stabbing empty air.
"As if... you fool!"
Whoosh!--!!
The Lich reached for my head with a hand brimming with mana, but I swung and severed his wrist clean off.
Pssshhh... Look at the ground rotting. The severed hand melted the floor like chocolate, leaving a crater.
The hygiene on this guy...
"Surprised?"
"Want me to slice your mouth next?"
I waggled the sword teasingly, scraping it inside him. Yunet's 100% natural aggro had probably gotten him all riled up already. Look at those shaky eyes. Bet he was dying to beat me in the flesh.
"Fuhehehe..."
Rumble-rumble!--!!!
This time, stone pillars burst from the walls. Each one the size of a whole wall section—heavy and fast. Getting hit by that would send me reincarnating back to my old world.
But I dodged lightly...
"Huh?"
It was chasing me? Why the hell was this giant thing after me? Why?? This was cheating, right? No—fuck...! It was so huge I couldn't tell if it was closing in or stopping!!
I hurled myself toward the opposite side where Ludia had gone.
"Become jerky...!"
Kaboom!---!!!!
A majestic crash, and the pillar slammed down onto the faintly glowing lines etched in the floor.
"...!!"
"Kehhehe... Not an idiot, are you?"
The guy who'd been watching got perfectly played. Face-down on the ground when the pillar dropped vertically—he rolled like mad and dodged just in time. Heart-stopping moment, but...
I don't have a heart anyway?
Thanks to that, the magic runes lost their glow, nearby structures and mana stones shattered, and the altar got even more wrecked.
"You baaaastard...!"
Fwoosh!--!!!
The Lich bellowed in rage, and a purple aura billowed from his back. His tattered cloak fluttered as he floated up into the air.
"All of you... become sacrifices...!"
Seemed like he'd changed tactics. Hovering like an aerial fortress to rain down magic, probably.
But,
"Do that and you'll get hit again?"
I warned him nicely. In advance.
A grudge from his family drilled into him since childhood. But frustratingly, he had no talent for sword or magic. Yet as a Lich, he thought he could finally fulfill that long-held wish.
"This... can't be...!"
But it was all crumbling now.
Bam!--! Kaboom!!!!
"Oh! I just smashed 30 statues!"
"I'm at 44!"
The altar was rapidly disintegrating under those two lunatics. The risen corpses had long been bisected or burned to ash. They competed to blow up altar accessories left and right.
"Break time??"
Stab!--!
Even as he unleashed nonstop magic without pause. Why didn't this guy ever get hit? The bandaged freak dodged every spell while stabbing and slashing. Each time, chunks of mana got sliced away.
No matter how superior Holy Power was, no human could surpass magic like that. Those movements—like he was living in a different time flow!
"What... are you...?"
Squelch.
"Yeah. A person."
Casual answer, then he slinks away slyly again.
"......."
This exact pattern had repeated several times already. Meanwhile, the altar had lost all function, everything collapsing like a sandcastle.
And where was that saintess candidate who'd been stuck to the bandaged guy? She hadn't been visible for a while... No way.
"Searching for my core, are you...?"
"Oops. Shit! That was supposed to be a secret!"
Shrieeeek!---!!!
His cheeky words ended with a flood of razor-sharp sword strikes.
Shwick-shwick-shwick!!!!
Then brilliant sword flowers bloomed. Before he knew it, the guy had closed in, swinging wildly. Sword strikes bloomed like a flower in all directions, shredding the body to ribbons. All that remained: glittering dust and scattering black ash.
"...Pity."
No matter how unkillable. No matter endless regeneration. At this rate, it was over.
Time wasn't on his side. If only that damned Luzadio were here, things wouldn't have come to this!! Almost done, and now this!
He sighed and thrust both hands into the air.
"All of you... die...!"
Fwoooosh!--!!!
The Lich's body dissolved into black smoke, spreading to fill the space. His final trump card: unleashing vast mana all at once.
"This is?!"
"Sis! Don't use Holy Power!"
Mana rampaged through every inch of the fogged space. Wherever Holy Power flared, it burrowed in, exploding and crushing the edges. Flames died, sparkling Holy Power devoured by darkness.
"Grk...!!! Mana... too... thick..."
"Kgh... damn it..."
The maniacs wrecking the altar dropped to their knees. Yunet convulsed face-down; Mari knelt on one knee, struggling futilely.
"Yes... this is right..."
Just die like that. Gathering power would take me time too, but you lot get no second chances. I'll turn you into corpses rivaling Luzadio as heretic paladins...
Shwick!--!!!
That's when it happened.
"Exhaust fumes?"
Shwick-shwick-shwick!!!
Another flower of sharp sword strikes bloomed. The floating clone tore apart like paper, crumbling into a handful of drifting ash.
"?!?! You baaaastard...!!!!"
"Eh, what. Why."
The Lich couldn't believe his nonexistent eyes. The bandaged freak was fine. Impossible. Bearers of Anesa's divinity should writhe and fall!
Unless already corrupted...
...No way.
Huu-nim!--!
"Found it!!"
"??!!"
The moment the Lich realized something staring at the bandaged guy, a cheerful voice rang from below. Amid the dust storm, a small brown jar-shaped thing emerged.
Ludia held the Lich's heart—the Life Force Vessel.
"Smash it!!!"
"You lot... from the start... corrupted ones..."
Crazies... That's why they were fine...
The Lich felt everything was futile. Decades devoted to this one goal, and these lunatics corrupted their own bodies to come at him.
Crack!--!!
Hearing Huu's shout, Ludia unleashed Holy Power. Cracks spiderwebbed the jar's surface, light bursting out. The vessel was collapsing.
"...Kehhehehe..."
Oblivion approached. The black mana filling the space faded bit by bit. No longer obeying his will, it dispersed into nature.
"So frustrating..."
"Life's like that. See ya."
Beaten so much by the bandaged guy, his mana was depleted. Soon those two maniac bitches would revive too. Was this... the end?
"......"
No. He wouldn't go quietly.
The Lich's eyes flashed as he glared at Ludia. A corpse behind the woman clutching the vessel. Trembling in fear even while channeling Holy Power—she wasn't a fighter.
Then...
"I won't... go alone..."
Whoooosh!---!!!
Gathering his remaining mana, the Lich hurled it at the corpse. It absorbed the power, read its master's will, and rose.
"Ludia!!!!"
Get away! Could I even reach it with a swing?!! The corpse behind Ludia rose and charged.
No time for Holy Power or to run.
No! Please... that thing...!
'Your resolve is my strength.'
"...!"
In that split second, the man's voice echoed. That one line he wouldn't forget. Resolve becomes power—strange words.
....Slowly.
But now, I think I get it a little. Mind racing, but body already moving. Eyes locked only on what must be cut.
World goes still, serene. Feet planted, one hand on sheath, the other on hilt.
From afar.
"I slash."
Everything silent. Nothing heard, nothing seen.
Behind Ludia screaming and crying. The corpse looms larger.
It's in my sword's range.
-----...!!!!
I drew a line through empty air. No sound of blade leaving sheath—just silent quiet.
This eerie motion, no wind stirred—Spluuuurt!--------!!!!
Kraka-gaga!--------!!!!!!!
The corpse charging Ludia split in half and exploded. Crimson blood and chunks sprayed everywhere; unchecked shockwave gouged the stone wall, leaving a massive scar.
Roaring boom and dust engulfed all.
Kyaaaaah!--!!!! Huuuniiim!--!!!
"Ludia! Smash that thing now!"
- ?!! Yes! Okay!!! Hiyah!!!
Shaking off confusion, Ludia poured in more Holy Power. The vessel thrashed wildly, sensing its end—but crunch!--!!
- It's... it's broken!!
The vessel shattered, falling to the ground in pieces. Before it hit, it turned to black ash and dust.
"Futile... haa..."
Witnessing this, the Lich let out hollow laughter.
Dispersing. His mana. His will. Cognition fading—he knew the end neared.
"Hurry up and go. Next life, skip the bullshit."
...Mocking him. The bandaged guy yapping in front felt infuriatingly punchable.
"Hilarious..."
"What is."
"Who... the real fool is... you don't even know..."
Why this guy's Holy Power was immense. And the nature of the mana within it.
Ridiculously, the Lich solved the mystery right before death.
"Next life... kehhehehe..."
"...?"
"Did you think... you'd escape... that cycle..."
Consciousness dimming. But no regrets left.
Even without effort, this world's laws had prepared everything.
"Kehhehehe... Thrash... all you want..."
Pssshhh...
The Lich's mana scattered as ash. He'd thought he'd leave with massive regrets clinging, but the end felt empty, light.
"Huu-nim... What was that Lich babbling about??"
"Dunno. Mad bastard."
And in Huu's heart, watching it all, a nagging unease lingered.