Chapter 438
Chapter 438
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 439
Chapter Title: The Only Way
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Crushed into the ground by the giant tree's sudden attack, Cruas rose back into the air, feeling a surge of bewilderment.
As the battle dragged on, his body was no longer what it used to be.
The chaos that had deeply eroded his body... and the countless wounds inflicted by humanity, along with the regeneration used to heal them.
He had consumed far too much mana in the process.
Even the power he had received from the world for judgment was now slowly running dry.
If he hadn't brought his subordinates, he would have already been defeated and sealed by humanity.
And then he sensed it.
This place might become his grave.
...But even if he fell in defeat, he would not fail.
The mission bestowed upon him by the world.
Even if his body crumbled to dust, he would accomplish the judgment of chaos.
Cruas slowly gathered his mana and looked down at the massive tree before him.
Its enormous size rivaled his own.
From the energy it emanated, it was clearly the small tree summon Chaos had called forth.
It had probably grown by absorbing the rampaging mana of its contractor, Kim Sun-woo.
But even so, it was strange.
Was it possible for a mere summon to grow that large in such a short time?
At that moment, Cruas detected an unusual energy from the tree.
This energy...
[...A demon tree possessing the power of immortality?]
The tree did not respond.
It simply charged silently at Cruas and swung its fist.
Whooosh!
But Cruas had no intention of taking the same attack twice.
He immediately flapped his wings wide and dodged it effortlessly.
The tree then slammed its hand on the ground, and at the same moment, massive tree roots were summoned, wrapping around Cruas's body.
[...Kuh.]
The giant roots began to squeeze Cruas's body tighter and tighter.
He struggled desperately to break free, but with his power not fully intact, it wasn't easy.
—...What the hell is going on?
And the people watching the battle were plunged into great shock.
First the Demon King versus the dragon, and now the tree versus the dragon.
Moreover, that massive tree-shaped beast was unfamiliar even to wizards who had subjugated countless magical beasts.
"...That tree monster from 200 years ago?"
Lee Seo-jun turned his head at the Flame Emperor's murmur.
"...200 years ago?"
"In the 1830s, there are records of a similar great beast appearing in London. Who would have thought he was handling a monster like that as a summon. Truly an unfathomable guy."
200 years ago.
A story from long before he was even born.
Lee Seo-jun felt a complex emotion that was hard to put into words as he turned his gaze away from the tree beast.
As the Flame Emperor predicted, that tree was probably Kim Sun-woo's summon.
He had witnessed it being summoned firsthand, and there were rumors that 'Kim Jin-woo,' suspected to be Kim Sun-woo's other identity, handled tree summons.
"...Kim Sun-woo."
Lee Seo-jun bit his lip.
Just when he thought he was getting closer to understanding, it pulled away again, revealing something new.
He truly couldn't figure it out.
What he was hiding. What his true identity was. What his goal was.
"You really are..."
Woooong!
At that moment, black light began emanating from Cruas's body.
The light gradually pushed away the roots binding his flesh.
Kuuung!
Black energy condensed in Cruas's mouth and shot straight toward the tree.
Kwaaaang!
The energy struck the center of the tree's trunk. Cruas then slashed horizontally with the energy, severing the tree's upper and lower body.
But it was only for a moment. Roots extended from the separated upper and lower halves, reconnecting the body.
Cruas halted his attack at the sight and soared high into the sky once more.
[...So this is the power of immortality. It's different from regeneration.]
At that moment.
Kwaaaang!
A straight line of demonic energy shot out, piercing Cruas's neck.
Kieeeek!
Cruas's scream echoed loudly, and everyone in the space turned their gaze there.
Kim Sun-woo, whose arm had been sealed by the rift, was now free, exuding black demonic energy.
[...Kugh. You cut off your own arm.]
Kim Sun-woo's severed arm remained in the rift.
That meant he had severed his own arm to break free from the rift's seal.
It was a reckless method possible only for someone with super-regeneration like Kim Sun-woo.
[...This is getting troublesome.]
After that, the battle resumed between Cruas and Kim Sun-woo, along with the giant tree.
Immortality, undying nature, and extreme super-regeneration—the clash of these three was so brutal it was hard to watch with eyes open.
They trusted their life force so completely that they ignored defense entirely, launching only attacks in an utterly abnormal fight.
However, as time passed, the momentum shifted toward Cruas.
Though outnumbered, his opponent was a 'calamity-grade beast' that had held its ground after battling countless humans.
No matter how many great beasts joined, it wasn't enough to turn the tide.
...How much time passed as the battle continued like that?
Sss...
The giant tree attacking Cruas suddenly halted its movements.
It trembled as if utterly exhausted in an instant.
Cruas realized.
The ability that had rapidly grown the demon tree had reached its limit.
[...]
Cruas didn't miss the opportunity.
He immediately gathered mana and spewed flames at the tree.
Fwaaaah!
The tree's body began to burn.
A grotesque sound, as if in agony, echoed loudly through Seoul.
Unlike before, the tree could no longer heal its burning body.
—...Why isn't it regenerating?
—Did it use up all its mana?
As the tree burned and slowly died—no, as Gretel did—Kim Sun-woo's fingertips trembled with emotional turmoil.
A moment later. Immense black demonic energy began condensing around Kim Sun-woo's hand.
Cruas sensed an instinctive danger.
[...This power is dangerous.]
Just as he tried to deploy a barrier to counter the attack.
Paaang—
The black demonic energy shot in a straight line, piercing Cruas's chest.
It happened so suddenly that Cruas couldn't react.
Kraaaang!
"...Kuhuk!"
Black blood burst from Kim Sun-woo's mouth after the attack.
And his eyes, dyed black, gradually returned to their original form.
The berserk mode, triggered at its limit, had exceeded the limit once more and released.
Regaining his senses amid the erupting extreme pain, Kim Sun-woo lost his balance.
But soon, he mustered every ounce of strength from nursing days and stood on his feet.
Grinding his teeth, Kim Sun-woo looked up at Cruas screaming in the sky.
He instinctively realized.
This was the last chance to end the bastard's life.
Woooong!
Kim Sun-woo gathered his mana.
Before the 'mana exhaustion' side effect of berserk mode could hit, for one final strike.
Soon, an orb magic began manifesting slowly in his right hand.
The orb wasn't black demonic energy.
It was an orb boasting radiant golden mana.
Magic used by the human, Kim Sun-woo.
"...This is the end, Cruas."
At the same time, the golden orb shot toward the sky.
The golden orb pierced Cruas's chest—no, his heart—flashing a dazzling golden light.
Kwaaaang—
Heaven and earth shook, and the shockwave spread widely across the ground.
The blinding golden light lasted about 10 seconds before slowly fading.
—...Did he take it down?
Someone on the ground muttered blankly.
Countless rifts bloomed around Cruas's body in the sky, black smoke rising from it as it slowly vanished.
[...Is this my end?]
Cruas made no move.
Even his once-eternal regeneration wouldn't activate, and no mana could be felt.
Seeing this, the people realized.
Cruas was losing all power and dissipating.
"Kim Sun-woo!"
Lee Seo-jun rushed to him. Kim Sun-woo only groaned, his face contorted in pain.
"...Kugh!"
"Kim Sun-woo, are you oka—"
Lee Seo-jun froze mid-examination of Kim Sun-woo's body.
It wasn't normal.
Blood flowed from all over his body, and almost no mana remained.
And his life force was slowly fading.
"Sunbae!"
This time, Choi Seo-yoon rushed over, tears filling her eyes.
Yoon Ha-young and Yoo Ah-ra followed. Then Shin Young-jun.
The Flame Emperor approached next, then the demon Ha-ryeong appeared.
"...My king."
"Everyone, move!"
Choi Seo-yoon wiped her tears and gathered mana in front of Kim Sun-woo.
She intended to share her life force using [Bond of Destiny].
At that moment.
Woooong!
Another massive mana surge emanated from the sky.
Everyone looked up in despair.
Above the dissipating Cruas, a giant black orb was manifesting.
And its size was larger than any they had seen before.
[Humanity. You are already steeped in deep chaos... Though I end my life here, I will accomplish that mission of judging and purifying chaos and its seeds...]
At Cruas's will, Kim Sun-woo bit his lip.
He thought he had finally won against the bastard, but no.
In the process of losing power and dissipating, he had sacrificed his remaining life for one final spell.
It was impossible to stop that magic.
The orb contained enough power to obliterate all of Seoul.
"...A magic like this exists in the world."
"Are we all going to die?"
"...Can't we at least die peacefully?!"
Despairing voices rose around them.
At the center, Kim Sun-woo thought quickly.
What should he do?
That magic would soon wipe out all of Seoul. Escaping now meant nothing.
"..Kuh."
Use Origin Counter? Impossible. That orb was too big for Origin Counter.
Then, kill him before he releases the magic?
Also impossible.
Humanity, including himself, had no mana left to cast spells.
Their last hope, Kim Jin-cheol, still hadn't escaped the rift.
Then what...
In that instant.
One method flashed in Kim Sun-woo's mind.
A trump card 'variable' that could reverse this situation.
Of course, it was a gamble.
He had never used the ability even once.
[Consuming 20 Causality Points.]
[Using Authority, 'Possibility Manipulation.']
As the authority activated, a mysterious energy spread from Kim Sun-woo. Everyone who felt it looked at him in confusion.
[Your will imbues the wheel of great fate.]
[You can manipulate one possibility existing in this space.]
[It can be activated by manifesting your will.]
Manifesting will...
Kim Sun-woo thought alone. A possibility to reverse this situation.
...Cruas's sudden death.
A sharp headache followed.
[Non-existent possibility.]
[You can only manipulate possibilities existing in this space.]
"...Kugh."
Did that mean the possibility of Cruas dropping dead was 0%?
After the ability failed once, Kim Sun-woo bit his lip.
This power only manipulated possibilities, not reality itself—it had limits.
Then...
Cruas falling into mana exhaustion.
Another headache.
[Non-existent possibility.]
This too?
In handling such massive mana, any being could err and suffer mana exhaustion.
But if this was also non-existent, it meant he could wield mana perfectly without waste.
Then what?
Then a new method came to Kim Sun-woo's mind.
...This could save everyone.
"...Kim Sun-woo?"
Even in that dire situation, as Kim Sun-woo rose, questions filled everyone's minds.
"...Kim Sun-woo. What are you trying to do?"
Ignoring them all, Kim Sun-woo took a step forward.
Cruas looked at him and spoke.
[What scheme is this? You have no way to stop me...]
It was then.
Crack—
Crackle—
Countless rifts began appearing in the air around Cruas.
Seeing them, Cruas reacted with bewilderment.
[...Rifts? How rifts?]
The rifts in the air rapidly increased.
They slowly encroached on Cruas's surroundings, eventually sealing him completely within.
It looked like the same space from outside, but Cruas's space was perfectly separated from Seoul.
Cruas grasped the cause.
He had manipulated the possibility of a natural mana disaster rift coincidentally trapping him.
[To think you'd separate spaces with rifts... I never imagined such a method.]
Sss.
Cruas soon manifested power. Crack. Crackle!
The rifts trapping him began disappearing again.
[A good attempt, O Chaos... However. You are not the only one who can handle rifts. Trapping me is imposs—]
Suddenly, Cruas stopped speaking.
The vanishing rifts reappeared, resealing him.
An impossible situation. Even the king of beasts couldn't help but panic.
[...How.]
Then Cruas looked down at his feet and fell silent.
Kim Sun-woo stood in the same space as him.
[...To prevent escape from the rift, you entered of your own accord?]
Instead of answering, Kim Sun-woo turned around.
Through the rift's gap, he saw the faces of those watching him.
All bewildered, not understanding what was happening.
"...Kim Sun-woo?"
"Hey. What the hell are you..."
And soon, his companions realized his intent belatedly.
To bear Cruas's magic alone, which would wipe out all of Seoul, by separating the spaces.
"You don't mean..."
"No way? Hey! Kim Sun-woo!"
"...No! Sunbae! Please!"
"Hey! Kim Sun-woo! What the hell are you doing!"
Everyone screamed desperately.
And they remembered. The prophecy from the tower about Kim Sun-woo's death.
They urgently tried to shatter the rift with mana and brute force. But the mana disaster rift didn't budge to any method.
Kim Sun-woo smiled faintly at them and spoke.
"This was the only way I could think of."