Chapter 359
Chapter 359
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 359
Chapter Title: Disaster, and the Hero (2)
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "See? You crazy bastard."
Raniel let out a hollow laugh, slumped on the floor with a broken arm. She spat out the shattered tooth rattling in her mouth with a ptuh.
"A guy this strong."
Her nasal bone was fractured.
No strength went into her broken arm. Amid the throbbing pain all over her body, Raniel stared at Kyle ahead, a bitter smile on her lips.
"How does giving up make any sense? Huh?"
"......"
"Come on, you punk."
"...I..."
"Let's keep going. Just a little more. It's a dream, right? You wanted to be a hero. Where's a hero who gives up?"
Slowly raising her arm, Raniel pointed at Kyle. Unlike the battered Raniel, Kyle was unscathed. She fixed her gaze on Kyle, standing firm on both feet, and spoke in a grinding voice.
"You're still the Hero. The symbol of victory. Even now. You could grit your teeth and charge, and I still couldn't beat you. Even if I used magic, it'd be the same."
"...More than me, you're the..."
"So."
"You're more of a Hero..."
"Don't give up."
The Hero is the symbol of victory.
That's the Hero you dreamed of, Kyle.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Suddenly recalling the time she'd traded blows with Kyle, Raniel looked ahead. There stood Kyle, transformed into a disaster. His right arm, swollen and engulfed by shadowy claws, gripped the holy sword.
The holy sword no longer shone.
Everything the blackened blade touched was severed as it closed in. Tick, tick—the sound echoed.
...This is insane.
Her accelerated body. Time stretched subjectively long.
In this slowed world, Raniel judged. Blocking it was impossible. She had to dodge, not parry. The moment she tried to block, she'd be sliced.
Shwaaaaack!
Raniel ducked and slid into Kyle's guard like a snake. His sword whistled over her head. The blade cleaved only empty air, but a chilling slash resounded above.
Chaaaaaaaack!
Wind blasted her back.
The area was shredded, debris flying everywhere, but without looking back, Raniel thrust her clenched fist. She aimed to smash into Kyle's abdomen, exposed from his swing.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Smash [Impact shockwave building]
The moment her clenched fist—infused with the spell—touched Kyle's body, he accelerated in a flash. Moving faster than Raniel, he shot out his left hand, the one not holding the sword.
Crack.
He grabbed her fist outright.
Tightening his grip, the unleased shockwave rebounded back onto Raniel. Her clenched fingers cracked and snapped with loud crunch, crunch sounds.
"...!"
As Raniel winced, Kyle yanked her hand toward him, still gripped tight.
Her body flew forward with a whoosh.
Lifting her head, she saw Kyle's sword, which had sliced through the air, arcing down like a guillotine. Eyes wide, Raniel slammed her foot down to anchor her dragged body.
She fixed herself with her right foot and kicked out with her left into Kyle's abdomen like a push. She wrenched her hand free amid the snapping fingers. The pain was loud, but she ignored it.
Better than getting bisected.
Rolling away, she escaped the sword's range. The guillotine blade cleaved where she'd stood moments ago.
Slash.
The moment the sword tip smoothly cut the church floor, sword energy erupted. Kyle stomped and spun in place. Screeech—the blade gouged the floor, veering toward Raniel's nape.
An unavoidable strike.
Gritting her teeth, Raniel punched forward. A massive shockwave burst from her fist toward the oncoming sword energy.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Smash [Extra-large shockwave]
The shockwave clashed with the sword energy.
The collision was instantaneous, the result immediate. The sword energy sliced right through the shockwave. Raniel leaped backward while punching, but the surging energy gashed her shoulder deeply.
Splat—blood sprayed.
Madly sharp sword energy.
Even without full power, it didn't waver against the shockwave from Smash. Clutching her bleeding shoulder, Raniel staggered back.
"......"
Kyle didn't pursue right away.
He slowly raised his sword, staring this way—as if promising to smash anything head-on. Raniel ground her teeth at the sight.
...She knew.
She knew, but it exceeded imagination.
Exhaling shortly, Raniel released her pressed shoulder. Starlight welled up, and the wound had already healed.
⭐ Star's Blessing: Super Regeneration Monster-like recovery beyond human limits. Proportional to starlight possessed. Recovery transcending humanity, like a monster.
This regenerative power scaled with her starlight, and having inherited Kyle's, it far surpassed most Heroes.
No matter the wound, it healed instantly.
Raniel interpreted it thus: she could wreck her body as much as needed. Things she'd held back on before, fearing strain—now she could use them freely.
"Fine, whatever."
Let's do this, you bastard.
Raniel exhaled shortly.
She relaxed her body and assumed stance. Kyle mirrored her. A posture for swinging the sword. Staring straight at him, Raniel ignited her stocked spell.
...Mana, and starlight.
All Heroes were built from the start with awakening in mind, so no mana flowed in their bodies. Only starlight filled the empty channels. Even the exceptional Chloe had fused starlight and mana.
But Raniel was different.
Her mana never wavered or mixed. Starlight and mana coexisted in her body.
...That's why this reckless shit is possible.
Raniel chuckled.
Thump—her heart pounded hugely.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Accel [Dozens of stocked spells converted]
Dozens of stocked spells transmuted into one. Massive enhancement spells crushed her body, emitting heat. Overload even her Hero-enhanced frame couldn't endure.
Skin melted.
Retinas boiled in the blaze.
But surging starlight restored her in an instant. Recovery and destruction happened simultaneously, but recovery held the edge—for now. This alone wouldn't catch him.
So, a bit more.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Accel (Overdrive) [Starlight pushes body beyond limits]
Starlight healing her body now drove it past limits. Agony surged, staggering her, but she quickly reset her stance.
"Hoo..."
Raniel exhaled slowly, narrowing her eyes. Her constricted vision locked on one: Kyle. He too stared back, sword ready to swing.
He's coming—that instant she thought it.
Kyle's sword arm accelerated. The blade vanished into the air. Even in slowed time, the strike was invisible. But Raniel knew it.
Galatric Style, First Form: Initial Sight Kill.
A mere "neck-severing" technique at blinding speed became something else in Kyle's hands.
Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
The vanished sword reappeared, shattering the area. Stone floor, pillars, statues—everything visible split. All flipped skyward, defying flow.
And Raniel.
At the center of crossing sword energies, she stepped forward. Space warped as she did. Her foot hit the floor with a BOOM!, cracking the entire church.
The crossing energies sliced only ash.
As Kyle swung, his head snapped sideways. He tried pulling the sword back, but something smashed his jaw first. A fist. His body lifted into the air.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Smash [Shockwave launches target]
The shockwave snapped Kyle's head back fully. Swept by the blast, he crashed into the wall. He rose to swing, but Raniel was faster.
Crunch!
She pinned his sword-gripping hand and shadowy claw under her boot against the wall, exhaling. To Kyle, it looked like she'd vanished and reappeared.
Screeech.
The shadow tried shoving her boot away, to no avail. Her starlight and corrupted mana impeded it. Eyes bulging, Kyle glared at her.
Bloodshot red eyes.
Melting flesh.
Body cloaked in starlight and ash.
She clenched the hand she'd extended behind her. Instantly, ash scattering like snow gathered into her fist.
"Ashes to ashes." ⟨ Ashes to Ashes ⟩
Kyle reached with his free hand.
Raniel swung her fist.
The church flashed white as he caught it. Heat erupted, melting the stone floor; thunder followed.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaang!
Kyle's gripping fingers shattered to ash. His arm charred black in the explosion. Walls collapsed. Floor cracked into holes.
But Raniel didn't stop.
Mana around her fist corrupted. Seeing it, the shadow on Kyle's right arm rippled.
"Curse to ashes." ⟨ Curse to Ashes ⟩
Ashen flames devoured Kyle.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Whooooosh!
Flames surged with heat.
Raniel narrowed her eyes against the blaze. She'd slammed extra-large spells point-blank. Even Kyle couldn't...
That thought hit.
Flames engulfing the area were dying. Despite ramping output, they withered like devoured. Her eyes widened. What the—
Screeech.
From the inferno, Kyle rose slowly. No use boosting power. He pierced the flames head-on, head lifting.
Blackened eyes.
Then Raniel saw his heart. Claws erupting madly—the essence of a false god.
👑 Demon King Essence 👑 Not mere shadow, but aggregate of millions of curses.
Burning a part changes nothing—it's refilled.
Not some weak shadow, but the false god itself. Divinity and immortality lost... yet a collective of curses from millions.
She'd burned only a fraction.
Even that refilled.
His charred left hand was fine now.
Fully risen, Kyle pulled his arm from the wall. Raniel stopped flames and retreated.
Boom!
Her fully enhanced body moved astonishingly. Distance opened instantly; Kyle couldn't track. His eyes failed to read her leap.
But as if it didn't matter.
Kyle raised his sword horizontally to the sky. Thump—his body shuddered. Raniel's instinct screamed.
Something's coming.
Something she didn't know.
The instinct was right. Vision quaked. Earth trembled. Air vibrated. Amid the resonance, Kyle swung.
Then Raniel saw.
"...Huh."
Everything visible overturned.
Direction lost. No way to know where to go. Amid the twisting, Kyle's form stayed intact.
Intact, so she saw.
His sword ripping space. An immense sword energy—endless something—devouring all as it approached.
Can't dodge.
Can't block.
Death neared.
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