43. Genius (Genius) (3)
43. Genius (Genius) (3)
Yuma decided to observe first.
How Bel and Luke would handle this King of the Giant God Tribe, Ades.
Bel stepped forward.
White Sword Aura condensed densely around her thin sword.
A flash of light surged toward Ades.
Jjeo-eok─!
A thick plume of gray smoke rose from the giant's gray skin.
Red blood spurted out, drawing an arc. The wound healed so quickly it was almost embarrassing to even call it a wound.
Kugugugugugugu!!
Black divine power erupted from the giant Ades's entire body.
Black smoke flowed thickly from his mouth as well.
Even the exalted Aura blades of Bel and Luke couldn't pierce the giant's rock-like hide. An empty hole. Then flesh and bone surged back up with the black light.
That irrational cycle continued endlessly.
Bel gritted her teeth and stomped forward powerfully.
Ades's head, reminiscent of a great Moai statue, tilted downward fiercely. Loud, sharp shouts burst from the mouths of the warriors standing at the front lines.
"Type 2!"
It sounded like a signal that the Type 2 attack was about to begin.
Kugugugugugu!!
A mass of black light gathered into a single point in Ades's mouth.
A sphere that looked like black energy advanced, shattering the ground.
"Dodge!!"
The warriors attacking in close proximity to Ades flung their bodies backward swiftly.
They tumbled, threw themselves back, struggling desperately to get as far away from Ades as possible.
The attack pattern of 'Type 2' wasn't just about spewing black beams.
[Lv.223]
The giant Ades slammed his massive foot into the ground.
Kurururururung─!
A thunderous roar echoed across the entire fortress wall of White Night.
Black divine power surged chillingly across the snowy ground.
The body of a young warrior who was rolling away to escape floated up with a bwoong─. And became completely defenseless in mid-air.
"Kyaaaaaaak!"
Black flames, shooting up from the ground as sharp as a blade, completely engulfed the White Night warrior's body.
He had been caught by the 'Stomp' pattern, one of the Type 2 attacks.
"Forever bend your body within the stocks─!"
"Forever bend your body within the stocks─!"
Two White Night mages in pure white robes chanted a 4th-circle binding spell simultaneously.
Golden stocks were created in the air and slammed down onto the giant Ades's body.
It could only hold Ades's body for a very brief moment. The White Night mages knew this fact as well.
Four warriors rushed in at once and pulled out the warrior whose body was burning with black flames.
This binding magic was merely a means to buy an opportunity to rescue the warrior.
There were only five mages in total among the White Night Clan. This was because the talent granted to the clan itself was skewed toward swordsmanship, not magic.
Helen, the 5th-circle mage with the greatest achievement among the five, broke out in a cold sweat and raised her staff.
The spell formula was rapidly completed.
Healing magic, which people born with mana circuits unsuited for the affinity found difficult to even learn, was completed in Helen's hands.
Green light poured out along a circular formation and extinguished the black flames.
"Kuuuuugh...!"
And it seeped into his entire body, healing the warrior's wounds.
Yuma inwardly admired the White Night Clan's swift and unflustered response.
The White Night Clan warriors began to move again in orderly precision.
Sword Aura blossomed from the swords of about thirty warriors.
"Haaap!"
"Make it hit!"
Slashes, similar in intent to the binding magic the mages had just displayed, surged toward the giant Ades.
It was a net drawn with Sword Aura.
All those many nets uniformly contained tough contractility and density that wouldn't easily be torn apart.
Kkwadeudeudeuk!
Threads of white Sword Aura simultaneously covered Ades's upper and lower body. And bound it. Like a spiderweb meticulously tying up its prey.
Kung! Kuuuung!
Covered in the net of Sword Aura and becoming one with the ice wall, Ades struggled incessantly to rise, but only his upper body heaved violently; the net wasn't easily torn.
[Lv.185]
Luke walked forward again.
Seuseuseuk...
White airflow endlessly gathered on the massive sword Luke held. As if a vortex was forming with Luke's body at the center.
A white storm was born on the sword.
Luke bent both knees for an instant, then straightened them simultaneously and sprang upward.
Kwa─jijik!
The ice layers where Luke had been standing crumbled, sending countless ice shards flying.
Standing tall in mid-air as if stepping on the sky, Luke drew both arms back.
Luke's face was contorted like the visage of an evil spirit.
A sense of responsibility to end this goddamn karma.
He had always felt that sense of responsibility.
Hence, he forcibly gripped his abnormally worn-down mental strength. And every day, every moment, he did his best to confront the King of the Giant God Tribe, Ades.
<White Demon>
Luke's primary skill was slammed down.
Toward the 90-meter giant Ades, whose legs were bound by the clan's warriors.
Jjeojeojeojeojeojeok!!
A ferocious cracking sound rang through White Night.
There was clearly a rupture. It was visible to the naked eye. A clear sword mark from the giant's crown to the center of his chest.
A fatal wound that could easily be considered half-severed.
Shuiaaaaaak!
Something shot out from beside Luke like a ghost.
At the center of her pink pupils, a pure white light was streaming out.
Her long blue hair fluttered.
<Falling Heaven>
Bel's sword fell vertically.
It traced the exact trajectory of the attack her father, Luke, the patriarch of the White Night Clan, had inflicted on the enemy.
To finish off Ades.
However─
Kwaaaaaaaaak!!!
Having completely torn off the net of Sword Aura, Ades screamed and roused black divine power throughout his body.
Chuwaaaaak!
All the damage inflicted by <White Demon> was restored. The extreme wounds on both sides adhered instantly. Like a scene of water meeting water. Without a trace of incongruity.
The divine power, shaped like black flames blazing over his entire body, also served as protective energy armor.
Kaang!
It had completely deflected <Falling Heaven>.
Hwiriririk!
Bel righted herself and simultaneously flipped backward in a somersault.
And she landed safely on the ground.
"Tch."
She couldn't help but click her tongue.
Because the blade of her sword was completely ruined.
As expected.
Were they not able to kill this goddamn King of the Giant God Tribe today either?
Would they never escape this karma?
Ttu...
Snow began to fall from the sky.
Ttudududududu─!
It was enough to be called a blizzard.
The scene of the blizzard pouring down toward the White Night castle was quite the spectacle.
[Lv.125] Bel
Bel drew up her ki throughout her entire body.
White ki.
And she took a step forward.
"Mages... all of you. Make this snow sharp, please. As much as possible."
"...Understood."
The White Night mages all had questions, but they didn't voice them outwardly.
It was trust, faith in the struggle Bel had shown until now.
Bel's eyes sharpened.
Sincere rage boiled up from the tips of her toes.
The target for this rage was very simple and clear.
That giant, the King of the Giant God Tribe, Ades.
"Freeze sharply!"
With <Freezing> magic, the mages transformed the blizzard falling on White Night into hail as sharp as blades.
And among those mages was Cloné, the mage who had Resonated with Bel.
White ki began to spread from Bel's body. And that energy spread out like threads spun by a silkworm, like ripples on a quiet sea. Very distinctly and tangibly.
Kkadeudeuk!
The spreading ki permeated the blizzard that the mages had sharpened.
Kkadeudeudeuk kkadeudeuk!
Countless snow.
Hundreds of snow. Thousands of snow.
Those snowflakes, as if they were formless swords, lined up densely behind Bel, shedding Sword Aura.
"What in the world..."
"So this is the gap in talent."
The White Night swordsmen stared blankly at the countless swords of snow Bel had created and were horrified.
Among them were Haven and Luke as well.
Overwhelming genius.
Bel drew out all the power she could exert. Bel's glare gleamed again.
Kugugugugugugugugugugu!
The thousands of formless swords Bel had created rained down upon the giant Ades like a downpour.
Keuooooooook!
The giant's massive body was engulfed by the fall of thousands of white swords.
Seueuk─
Bel raised her sword up near her shoulder and adjusted the angle.
Her legs wide apart.
A thrust.
It was the stance that could maximize the power of <Frost Flower>.
Kkwaaaang!!
The glacier Bel had been standing on crumpled.
The chill of the white White Night spread out like a sonic boom.
'Faster.'
With the resolve to end this karma with this current attack.
Bel's form shot forward.
Kiiiiiiiiiiiing!
Kwaaaaaaaaak!
Ades's scream was heard.
Countless plumes of black smoke erupted from Ades's upper body.
And black liquid also spurted out like a fountain. From the deeply gouged, crater-shaped wound that was the result of Bel's <Frost Flower>.
But that was only for a moment.
Jjeo─eok.
The crater-shaped wound was restored in an instant. A black glare shone in Ades's eyes.
"...Honestly, insane Giant God Tribe."
Bel laughed dejectedly, twisting her lips.
She felt the strength drain completely from her body. She was in a state where she wouldn't mind just collapsing to the ground right then.
Because she had pushed her limits with all her might.
At that moment, someone appeared beside her.
"White Night Clan."
A heavy voice flowed into Bel's ears.
It was a noble, aristocratic voice.
"It seems the person I am looking for is indeed you."
"...What?"
From Bel's perspective, knowing nothing, Yuma's words were impossible to comprehend.
"If I kill that King of the Giant God Tribe, Ades. And end the karma of your White Night Clan, will you follow me?"
Bel's wide, pink eyes stared directly at Yuma.
"Heuheuheu... heuheehit!"
Bel began to laugh as if she found it utterly absurd, like she had lost her mind.
Then, after a moment, the laughter stopped abruptly.
"...If you do that, I'll more than just follow you."
Bel smiled softly as she looked at Yuma.
"If you accomplish that, if our clan gains freedom that way."
That smile was quite pretty.
"I'll give you my everything."
Hearing that, Yuma looked forward.
"Remember those words."
Kuwoooooung!
Because the King of the Giant God Tribe, Ades, was approaching, taking a massive step forward.
Kiiiiiiiiiiing!!
Something gathered in Ades's wide-open mouth.
It was the energy of black divine power.
"T-T-Type 2!"
"What are you doing!! You have to dodge!"
A multitude of murmuring voices were heard.
Leaving those sounds behind, Yuma drew out [Axion].
Seureung...
A 90-meter giant standing with two feet planted on the ground.
A lone man standing still before such a giant.
At this moment, only two people didn't doubt that man. Cloné and Hestia.
Kkwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!!!
Black light erupted as if to swallow the world of White Night.
Yuma stepped forward with his right foot.
He targeted the center of the black light as the Parry Point.
Jjeo──────────eong
The parry succeeded.
<Absolute Counter>
The black light reversed course.
Toward the firmament.
No, toward the upper body and head of the King of the Giant God Tribe, Ades.
Kkwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!!!
Ades's upper body was crushed by the black light. The black light erupted fiercely. However─
Kwadeudeuk!
Kkudeudeuk!
Jjeoeeeeong!
The <Absolute Counter> skill was not affected by the counter target's defense.
No matter how excellent their 'regeneration' and 'recovery', if the defense itself, which was the source of the Giant God Tribe's durability, was nullified, the effect was rendered practically useless.
Kkwaaaaaaaaang─!
Struck directly by the wave of black divine power energy, Ades's face caved in starting from the chin.
All regeneration and recovery were ignored.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!!
In the end, the upper body and head of the Giant God Tribe's Ades were completely obliterated.
It was death.
The death of the King of the Giant God Tribe, Ades.
Ku──gu... u──u...... ung!
Kwang!
Kwaaaaaaang!
The lifeless, 90-meter-tall giant collapsed onto the ground, smashing the castle structures of White Night.
But such structures were not even in the White Night Clan's minds right now.
"...Uh, uh."
With a blank face, Bel had been staring at Yuma. She bowed her head toward her own body.
The sensation of the <Blood Pact>, which had occasionally constricted her heart, making its presence known, was gone.
Completely, without a trace of residual sensation.
A feeling of liberation.
An immense sense of liberation surged up from the tips of her toes.
All 120 or so members of the White Night Clan on the land of White Night felt that sense of liberation together.
With the complete death of the King of the Giant God Tribe, <Ades>, every member of the <White Night Clan> was liberated from their karma.