Chapter 379: Dawn (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 379: Dawn (7)
The reunion with Tristan, who had vanished during the battle with Talion, was, in a word, a shock.
Kang Hyun-woo stared at him, his face hardening.
The handsome features that once resembled a movie star were gone without a trace.
All that remained was a hideously distorted face, its original shape barely recognizable.
And that wasn't all.
Tristan's entire body was covered in black, sticky tentacles, and his lower half was entangled with Zerkishinia's, as if they had fused into a single entity.
“Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo, Kang Hyun-woo...!!!”
“...He's been devoured.”
Hyun-woo frowned at the sight of Tristan, who seemed to have lost half his sanity.
He didn't know what had happened, but circumstantially, it was clear that Tristan was deeply involved in Zerkishinia's appearance.
The first thing that came to mind was a seal.
What if, fifty years ago, Duke Winchester hadn't subjugated Zerkishinia but had sealed it away instead?
The thought made everything click into place.
Tristan must have been in the process of breaking the seal on Zerkishinia, which had been slumbering somewhere in Avalon, when an unexpected variable occurred, resulting in his current grotesque state.
“□□□...!! You, you deceived me!! Deceived me!!!”
Bzzzt—
“...?”
For a moment, Tristan's words didn't register properly, as if static had filled one side of his head.
He felt a sense of déjà vu.
It was the same sensation he'd felt when talking with Gremory.
But his head didn't feel as dizzy as it had back then.
'Did he put some kind of security on his own information?'
He had heard of such magic, but it was a spell that had been lost for hundreds of years.
Of course, Iris seemed to know about it, but he had given up on learning it because it required a high, innate aptitude for mental-type magic.
“Deceive me?!!! You deceived me?!!!!!”
Fwoosh!
As Tristan's emotions erupted in a violent surge, black tentacles shot up from all directions in response.
There must have been dozens of them.
“Delia, go on ahead.”
There was really no time left.
Zerkishinia would reach the exit in three minutes, and he couldn't afford to be held up here.
“B-But...!”
Delia looked at him with a mixture of hesitation and worry.
He understood her reaction.
Coming from someone whose body was in a state worse than a tattered rag, his words weren't exactly convincing.
But this wasn't an empty bluff.
Ting—
[The Devil Slayer has detected demonic energy.]
[The blessing of the Demon Hunter descends.]
Vitality slowly began to seep back into his body, which hadn't even had the strength to lift a spoon.
It seemed that even in that monstrous state, Tristan's contract with a demon was still active.
For him, at least, it was a silver lining.
“You trust me, right?”
“...”
Delia stared at him without a word, then slowly nodded and dashed forward.
Dozens of tentacles surged toward her in unison.
But he wasn't about to just stand by and watch.
KABOOM!
Crimson demonic energy exploded in mid-air.
The tentacles were torn into hundreds of pieces of flesh and scattered into the air.
“Hoo...”
[Fist Demon Battle Gauntlets
Grade: Epic
Gauntlets crafted from cold iron.
They possess the ability to temporarily amplify the user's demonic energy.]
A menacing, crimson Asura Energy shimmered quietly over the thick gauntlets.
He knew that using the Indestructible Vajra Body or Black Flame would be more effective against a demon worshipper like Tristan.
But repeated battles had long since depleted both.
“K-K-Kang Hyun-woo!!!! It's, it's all your fault...!!! If it weren't for you!!! If only you didn't exist!!!”
“...Ptui.”
He spat out a mouthful of clotted, jelly-like blood.
Then, he quietly raised his middle finger at the monster that was once Tristan.
“Stop your whining and just come at me. I'm getting sleepy as it is.”
“Kang Hyun-woo!!!!”
The tentacles, which had now multiplied into the hundreds, flew toward him all at once.
He grimaced for a moment at the dreadful sight that blotted out even the night sky, then threw a punch.
What a truly exhausting day.
KWAAAAANG!!!!
*
Delia bit her lip at the sound of the explosion behind her.
Trusting Kang Hyun-woo was one thing, but it was impossible not to worry about him.
Seeing him push himself so hard when his body was in a state that warranted a stay in the ICU looked incredibly precarious to her.
That was why Delia had no choice but to run forward, looking only ahead.
To bring an end to all of this, even a second sooner.
Thump, thump, thump—
But as she faced the reality before her, Delia's heart pounded so violently it felt like it would burst.
The being she was currently using as a foothold was Zerkishinia, the Black Flame Dragon that had brought about the nightmare of Northern Ireland.
She was only safe because the beast currently regarded her as less than an ant. If it were to turn its hostility on her and swing its claws, the outcome was painfully obvious.
Besides, even if she now knew the condition for breaking the seal, it was still uncertain whether the holy sword would answer her call.
Just as it had been for the past five years.
And even if the holy sword did respond this time, would her attack even work against this colossal, ferocious dragon?
Could she, a half-baked knight who couldn't even properly wield an Aura Blade, let alone aura itself, possibly succeed?
Negative emotions like anxiety, fear, and worry swirled quietly in Delia's heart.
Her forward momentum began to slow.
It was as if she had fallen into a mire.
Crunch—
But in that instant, crimson blood trickled down from her lip.
The ripples of doubt spreading in Delia's eyes subsided, and a clear, golden light began to flicker within them.
Amidst a fierce gale, her pure white hair scattered dazzlingly under the night sky.
Anxiety, worry, frustration, fear, weakness, anguish, and even the crushing pressure that weighed her down.
For now, she could set them aside.
Because he, who had trusted her despite having known her for only a short time, was still waiting for her.
Delia quietly composed her breathing, steeled her heart once more, and moved forward.
She thought of nothing but Kang Hyun-woo's face.
Soon, she safely reached her destination.
“Hah, hah, hah...”
Delia panted heavily, staring at the massive wing spread out beneath her feet.
Large magical beasts capable of flight, like dragons, possessed wings of a size as overwhelming as their bodies.
Of course, they could fly without much trouble thanks to the assistance of their magic, but that didn't diminish the importance of their wings.
And naturally, wings were a relatively fragile part of the body compared to others.
Even dragons, called the strongest of magical beasts, were no exception.
In fact, when fighting flying beasts like dragons or wyverns, targeting the wings first was standard procedure.
“Hoo...”
Delia caught her breath and quietly looked down at the black sword in her hand.
Excalibur, said to shine more brilliantly than the sun, had never once shone in her hands.
Why?
Was she lacking something as the master of the holy sword?
Or was it because she was a commoner from the lowly countryside?
For the past five years, all sorts of negative thoughts had relentlessly burrowed into Delia's mind.
To shake them off, she had swung her sword every single day without fail.
Having lost her hometown, family, and friends, the sword was all she had left, which made her all the more desperate.
Duke Winchester, feeling sorry for her, had asked her to become his adopted daughter several times, and her swordsmanship master, Gawain, offered small comforts, saying that effort would always be rewarded.
The other members of the Round Table also embraced Delia with warm words and smiles.
Except for Tristan.
“...I won't hesitate anymore.”
She had agonized endlessly and regretted countless times before standing here.
She had thought that for someone like her, with no real combat experience and who was constantly defeated in spars with regular knights, to declare she would face an S-rank gate's boss was nothing but absurd arrogance and conceit.
She was afraid of the future where countless people would die because of her inadequacy, and the screams of citizens who would despair and resent her seemed to echo in her ears.
And above all, she was most afraid of the moment she would have to face Kang Hyun-woo, disappointed by her failure.
But not anymore.
“...Even if I fail, I know Hyun-woo will still believe in me.”
As the cold night wind blew, a gentle smile bloomed on Delia's lips.
Her eyes shone brighter than ever before.
Like a beacon illuminating the night sky.
“...Caledfwlch.”
Wooooong—
With that single, soft-spoken word, the blackened Excalibur began to emit a faint light.
It was an incredibly weak glimmer, but Zerkishinia did not take it lightly.
The hundreds of eyes on its massive head twitched in unison, reacting.
[For ages, Excalibur has eagerly awaited a master who would call its name.]
[Please, release it.]
“Caliburnus, Calabrum, Caliborne, Caliburn, Escalibor...”
Though its name changed with the eras, its essence never did.
The mark of a king, bearing a sacred light.
A holy sword forged from the most brilliant and holy radiance.
The final dawn, to see through a noble will, pride, faith, and conviction.
The black scabbard that had encased the holy sword turned to ash and quietly scattered.
Beneath a flawless night sky, a small sun finally rose.
Only then did Delia realize.
She had never once called it by its name.
They had been so close, yet for five long years, the two fates had been misaligned. In this moment, they finally stood side by side on the same path.
“!!!!!”
Instinctively sensing the danger, Zerkishinia thrashed its body violently, trying to shake off the enemy on its back.
But the magic Kang Hyun-woo had cast was still holding strong.
Relying on his faint but warm presence, Delia raised the sword high.
“EX—!!!!”
Kiiiiiiing—!!!!!!!!
The noblest and most brilliant halo of light dispelled the twilight darkness.
A pure white beam of light shot up toward the heavens.
“—CALIBUR!!!!!”
The moment light and sound overlapped and exploded along the arc of Delia's swing.
—!!!!!!!
A brilliant slash of starlight tore Zerkishinia's right wing to shreds and vanished beyond the horizon.
And at last, the dazzling dawn that seemed as if it would never arrive, broke over Avalon.
Dark red blood scattered through the air, and the balance that supported the colossal body instantly crumbled.
“KIEEEEEEEK!!!!!!”
Having lost a wing, Zerkishinia let out a monstrous shriek and began to plummet toward the ground.
The same was true for Delia.
Despite the support of Excalibur's magic, she had exhausted all her mana in that single strike and fell helplessly through the air.
As her consciousness began to fade from mana exhaustion, a dim light flickered in Delia's eyes.
“Hyun... woo...?”
“...You did well.”
Kang Hyun-woo smiled as he snatched Delia from the air and pulled her into his arms.
Then, they fell straight down toward the ground.
Their acceleration began to increase.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before their bodies shattered on impact, but Delia simply smiled and closed her eyes.
She wasn't afraid at all.
She had faith that he would protect her, no matter what.
As if to reward that faith, just before they hit the ground, Kang Hyun-woo squeezed out his last remaining mana and activated Fly Magic.
Thanks to that, the two were able to land safely.
Kang Hyun-woo lay on the field and looked up at the sky.
The morning sky over Avalon was bright, but it was utterly peaceful.
The fact that he was alive right now felt like a miracle.
“...Hyun-woo.”
Just as he was sighing in relief, Delia squirmed and snuggled into his embrace.
Her pale complexion from the mana exhaustion was gone.
It was one of Excalibur's abilities: high-speed recovery.
“...I, I really tried my best. I was so scared, but when I thought of you, I wasn't scared at all.”
“You worked hard. It was amazing.”
Hyun-woo chuckled at Delia, who was now speaking to him casually.
He felt that the distance between them had closed considerably.
But there was one problem.
Whether she was aware of it or not, as Delia hugged him, her thigh kept rubbing against his crotch.
Though he barely had the energy to respond due to his injuries, his dick faithfully swelled in size, making its presence known.
And at some point, Delia had fallen silent.
Just as he'd expected.
When he cautiously glanced at her, Delia's face was so red it looked like it was about to explode.
“...If I had to make an excuse, it's a physiological phenomenon. I couldn't help it.”
“...”
Delia nodded without a word.
Just as an awkward silence fell between them.
KUUUNG!!
“—!!!!!!!!”
With a heavy tremor that shook the ground, the one-winged Zerkishinia roared and pushed its massive body up.
It was only natural.
An S-rank magical beast wouldn't die from a fall of a mere few hundred meters.
“N-No way...”
Delia's face turned deathly pale at the sight.
She no longer had the strength to wield Excalibur.
To reproduce that strike, which far surpassed her current level, would require at least a few months of recovery.
Nevertheless, Delia pushed herself up from the ground with great effort.
Since it had come to this, she had to get away from here, even if it meant carrying Kang Hyun-woo on her back.
Whoosh!
“H-Hyun-woo?!”
But in that moment, Kang Hyun-woo grabbed Delia's wrist and pulled her back into his arms.
Delia couldn't hide her bewilderment at his action.
“Th-This isn't the time for...!!”
“It's okay.”
Kang Hyun-woo soothed Delia, gazing up at the sky with a calm expression.
Delia had already done her part, buying precious time with all her strength.
It may have only been about five minutes, but because of it, Zerkishinia had failed to escape Avalon.
Her actions had saved hundreds of lives.
“All that's left... is to leave it to the old men with no sense of time.”
KWAAAAAANG!!!!!!!!
Suddenly, with a tremendous roar, Zerkishinia's body staggered.
Amidst the thunderous sound of a sonic boom, the giant dragon began to be beaten mercilessly by someone, like a dog on a hot summer day.
Delia's eyes widened at the unbelievable sight.
“...'Old men with no sense of time'? That's a bit harsh, don't you think?”
“?!”
Her face brightened at the sight of a familiar figure who had approached without a sound.
“Am I wrong?”
“...Groan.”
Duke Winchester swallowed a groan at Kang Hyun-woo's glare, which was practically cursing him out.
But as someone who had lived for over a hundred years, he possessed the wisdom of an old man.
Snap!
“...For now, you're both severely injured, so get some sleep.”
Instantly, an irresistible wave of drowsiness washed over them.
Kang Hyun-woo glared at the Duke for his cheap escape, but he soon lost consciousness and fell asleep.
Only then did Duke Winchester let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He then flew toward the Duke of Rutland, who was in the middle of pummeling the dragon.
Wooooong—
“...It's been five years.”
As Duke Winchester looked down at Zerkishinia, a complex mix of emotions swirled on his face.
The most intense among them was a blood-soaked thirst for revenge against the lizard that had killed his only daughter and son-in-law.
The overwhelming magic power emanating from his body made the very atmosphere begin to tremble.