Chapter 212
Chapter 212
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: Dawn's Return, Against the Sword God Realm (4)
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8.
"“Ridiculous.”"
Around me, the fragments of dawn spread out in a semicircle.
"“The 222 swords within this sword realm and...”"
Like cherry blossoms on a distant spring day.
Dancing as they scattered far and wide, the number of fragments dyeing the world golden was one thousand.
"“...those thousand shards are supposed to be on the same level?”"
As Choi Sin-yul raised his right hand.
Overcoming Swordsmanship. Eighteen demon swords rose simultaneously from the snowfield, then shot straight toward me────
Come with me, 《Seocheon Aenggyeong》.
─────Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching!
They flew at me, but in that instant, they sparked fiercely in midair and were flung far away.
The fragments... moved?
That's probably what he's thinking. Choi Sin-yul's face showed he couldn't hide his confusion in this situation.
I was not surprised.
From that curtain of dawn.
In a split second, eighteen fragments each transformed into weapons and flew in, intercepting the demon swords. I knew that would happen.
"Come, [Twilight Bow]."
The moment I raised my hand.
Fragments flying from the curtain of dawn. In my grasp, they formed the great twilight bow and twilight arrows.
Chara-la-la-la-la-lang──────!
The instant I nocked the arrow to the string and loosed it, Choi Sin-yul swung his divine sword, <Valkalix>, in a wide arc.
In that one moment.
The very domains of stillness and chaos crumbled.
──────Jjeeeeng!
With that reverberation, a destructive wave of frigid cold surged up, blasting the arrow away as it rushed toward me.
At the same time.
Dozens of demon swords stealthily targeting my openings and charging in.
"Come to me, [Moonlight Scythe]!"
As I reached out again.
Thirty fragments flew from 《Seocheon Aenggyeong》, forming into a great moonlight scythe in my grasp.
[Holy Flame Succession: Memory synchronization with the selected successor]
- Selected successor: First-generation successor, Tercia Arbayer.
- 《Seocheon Aenggyeong》: Memory synchronization rate increased by 1000%.
[Moonlight Scythe].
The moment I gripped the long shaft of that great scythe, her memories flooded into me like a surging torrent.
"“The world will remember you henceforth as the Apostle of Grace...”"
From the moment she met the Genesis God, Geldharia, and received the divine sword of light, Berkenxia.
"“Heaven-piercing sun, Terbel.”"
"“Blood sun, Shurigan.”"
"“Black sun, Karenden.”"
"“Pale moon, Maxensia.”"
"“Noble moon, Jhoannir.”"
"“Shining moon, Meien.”"
Happy days with comrades closer than blood kin... and victories in brutal battles. And then.
"“Terry... your lifespan is about ten days at most. We have to transplant your mind into this machine.”"
The price of the victory won at the cost of her lifespan.
"“You've done enough. Rest now... We'll go to the other worlds.”"
"“I'll definitely come back. So wait for us with Karenden, Tercia.”"
"“Sister... I think this is the end for me... Ah... One last time... I really... wanted to see you...”"
In a distant world.
In a dimension whose name she didn't even know.
Even the tears Tercia shed, sobbing upon hearing the news of her comrades' deaths at the hands of outer universe demons.
Tercia...
How... how could you endure such sorrow and still smile...?
In that instant, I swung [Moonlight Scythe].
I shook off my tears with a mighty swing, tracing the path of her devotion proven through her life.
[Unique skill, 《Moonlight Scythe Liberation: Limiting Moon Flash》 activated!]
The crudely rusted and broken scythe spewed forth brilliant moonlight.
Shuwaaaaa──────!
The atmosphere quivered in its majesty.
Moonlight sword energy followed the swung trajectory, sucking in the alien chill and scattering it as silver light.
"“This is...?”"
Tercia's Berkenxia, the special ability of [Moonlight Scythe]. The power to absorb the evil thoughts of the outer universe and convert them into radiant might.
─────Kaaaaang!
《Limiting Moon Flash》.
The miracle where the demon swords, controlled by evil energy, lost their power to that light and were flung away helplessly.
Sarrr...
But had it expended all its power?
The light of [Moonlight Scythe] grew dim, then scattered from my hand as grains of moonlight. At that moment.
"Fire!"
Choi Sin-yul thrust up his right arm.
Over fifty demon swords embedded in this sword world rose into the air, then charged at me.
"Over here─────!"
At that moment, I.
Did not hesitate and charged straight at Choi Sin-yul. Reaching out my hand toward the curtain of dawn.
"─────《Morning Glow Ten Crimson Mirrors》!"
Fragments flying in while scattering light dust transformed into a shield of mirrors.
The moment that form took shape.
Liam Talorden's memory brushed deeply through my mind.
"“A pathetic half-demon like you...”"
Discrimination rampant since childhood.
Not turning that discrimination into anger, but growing it into inner kindness—the shepherd boy.
"“It's fun... Your world was really cruel to you. You're a half-demon, right?”"
“…….”"
"“You must've lived with all sorts of discrimination? Ahahaha...! Stupid bastard... I just can't figure out why you're so desperate despite all that.”"
Players from another world.
The [Forgotten Kings] beginning to awaken from their seals due to their meddling.
"“Why pass on such evil deeds? Couldn't you just end it in your era?”"
Before that destruction.
The shepherd youth's answer was so pure and concise.
"“Moonlight Poet, Lidward.”"
"“Holy Knight, Sharilion.”"
"“Three-tailed Fox, Siren.”"
"“Myriad Weapon Master, Halbaron.”"
Beside that pure humanity.
Dazzling smiles of comrades gathering one by one.
Chaaaang───────!
A crimson curtain unfurled like flames before the mirror shield.
Its form was exactly the numeral ten.
The moment the special ability of 《Morning Glow Ten Crimson Mirrors》, the prototype of 《Dawn Sword, Third Liberation: Divine Might》, was unleashed.
─────Hwarrr!
The blades of winter.
Just before touching that curtain.
They burned away with a blue flame, and I shuddered at the sight of them rolling wretchedly across the snowfield.
No, there was no time to shudder.
I drew a sword from the upper surface of the shield. Berkenxia, with only its hilt and blood groove.
The moment I drew that worn sword.
Karmic fire exploded along the blood groove, forming a divine sword aura.
"Look closely, Choi Sin-yul..."
Liam's second Berkenxia.
The prototype of 《Dawn Sword Second Liberation: Divinity》.
"This... this power... how could it be mere shards?"
The divine blade clashed against Choi Sin-yul's swung divine sword.
Chaeaeaeaeaeang───────!
A metallic clash followed by a thunderous roar.
──────Tuhwaaaak!
The ground we stood on cracked, sinking deep like a crater as dirt and dust whirled.
Gooo──────!
Then suddenly, a blade entered the edge of my vision.
The divine sword, <Valkalix>.
Into that winter trajectory swung by Choi Sin-yul, I thrust the dawn blade.
───────Chaeaeaeaeaeang!
Geldharia's divine sword.
And Sherashul’Toryak's divine sword.
"What I'm showing you now───────!"
The clash of the two divine swords.
Tuhwaaaak………! A fierce explosion erupted again where the two sword wielders' blades met.
"───────is defiance against your outer universe!"
Upper, lower, upper, diagonal.
Chaeng! Chaeang! Chaeaeaeaeang! Choi Sin-yul spun the divine sword full circle by its hilt.
"───────the tears of those who devoted themselves unto death────!"
Every time my opening appeared, merciless slashes poured down.
"───────their will!"
Shattering the 《Perfect Iron Extremes》 with ultimate sword pressure, pushing me back while clashing blades, swatting away twilight arrows in single strikes. But.
"───────who burned their own bodies────!"
I.
I did not break.
I kept rising, unbroken and unsubdued, swinging my sword.
"───────to illuminate an era!"
Alone, I might have lost.
No, I would have been utterly defeated. But this battlefield wasn't mine alone now.
"───────!"
The first-generation Tercia.
Second-generation Liam, twenty-eighth Alkimereus, ninety-ninth Valerin, and... the hundredth Park Hyun-su were with me now.
"───────this is what humanity means!"
9.
"Amazing... This isn't even a human fight anymore..."
Moon Ji-hyo muttered.
Above her head in full lotus position floated a massive illusory eye.
《Heavenly Vision》.
This was outside the battlefield.
Only she could watch the duel of the two hunters. Jeong Ha-kyeong asked urgently.
"What's happening? What the hell happened? Why has the scenery itself changed over there...!"
"I don't know... what's going on either... Just that everything's no joke..."
Tuhwaaaak──────!
On the main stage of the battlefield, another fierce light explosion erupted.
Jeong Ha-kyeong's heart sank.
She shook Moon Ji-hyo's shoulders in frustration and asked again.
"You're not... losing, right? Tell me you're not!"
You can't lose.
You absolutely can't die.
You haven't even taken the watch yet... If you break the promise this time too... I really won't let you off...
"I can tell that much! Just tell me, please!"
In that instant, everyone there swallowed dryly.
What... is happening?
Moon Ji-hyo, who had been sweating coldly, overwhelmed by the transcendent beings' battle, finally nodded.
"The Chairman... how... he's not being pushed back at all by that Choi Sin-yul right now..."
The shiver born of bewilderment was shared by the Star Messengers, Lysabera and Karlen, peering into the battle from the illusory mist.
"“How is this possible...? Impossible...”"
"“A human body standing against 《Thousand Mountain Sword Realm》...?”"
《Thousand Mountain Sword Realm》 was different in rank from any other inferior phantom world.
It was a world infused with absolute rank.
In the outer universe's history longer than the creation world, the number of Iquila's apostles who successfully manifested that technique could be counted on one hand.
Those who wielded that power had all ascended as gods to become Sherashul’Toryak's subordinates.
A technique with a perfect win rate.
But Kim Baek-jun... that human... not just enduring while being pushed back, but fighting on equal footing?
"“Could it be... his soul's rank is on the same level as that Choi Sin-yul's, or even higher...?”"
Lysabera instantly fell silent at Karlen's mutter.
“……!”"
The Genesis God's apostles were mere extras, save a few. They fell easily to absolute gods' apostles... such beings.
But... this human is different.
He's no middling fool. The power this human shows now... rivals that absolute god's rank.
But.
But.
How could a mere human...?
The most bewildered was, naturally, Choi Sin-yul, crossing blades with Kim Baek-jun right in front of him.
I can't read him.
The lines of killing intent emanating from that bastard...
Two? Four? No... five?
Unbelievable. It's just that one guy... but this pressure? What are these number of lines?
Why does it feel like fighting six at once?
10.
[Unique skill, 《Seocheon Aenggyeong》 activated!]
- Memory synchronization: 1000%
[Unique skill, 《Holy Flame Succession》 achievement progress: 99.4%]
- Physical ability synchronization: 99.4%
- Dynamic vision synchronization: 99.4%
Meteor sword dance.
Unfurling across the sky of this phantom world like dazzling embroidery.
Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Chaeng───!
Gold and pure white. Demon swords and fragments entangled in evil and holy radiance—a meteor banquet.
"Come──────!"
Fragments clashing and breaking.
Some miss. But it's fine. I have a thousand lives I can use.
"────[Moonlight Scythe]!"
One, one, one, another one.
I keep deflecting and advancing.
The broken Berkenxia in my grasp reforms from other fragments as I press on.
"Over here! Twilight Bow!"
In an instant, five fragments flew from 《Seocheon Aenggyeong》, coalescing into a great bow in my grasp.
I'll use twenty for the arrow.
Twenty fragments flying in right away.
They instantly formed a single arrow and settled into my hand.
Chara-la-la-la-la-la-lang────!
A straight-line flash.
The arrow surged toward Choi Sin-yul, slicing through the frozen sword realm.
────Jjeeooooong!
The divine sword, <Valkalix>, roared.
Ripping the twilight arrows to shreds, an ultimate shockwave that shattered the dimension itself came crashing in. Kwagwagwa...
[Combat Assist AI, Alkaios: Projected damage unmeasurable.]
Unreal destructive power.
Overwhelming might that drew a hollow laugh.
Sweeping up collapsed earth and scattering snow, the storm bore down.
[Warning: Critical damage to power unit]
- Output: 15% -> 8%
Kwachik.
Two or three organs rupture.
Blood surges up my throat into my mouth. But there's no pain.
Instead, three fragments vanish.
In that split second.
I lowered my stance like stamping down... then launched my body upward using the rebound.
"To me, [White Dharma Palm]."
Seventy fragments formed into pure white gauntlets.
《Conjoined Palms》.
I immediately clasped my hands together in prayer.
Jjaak──────!
《Conjoined Palms》.
To reach the singular truth through reason, and attain the ultimate truth through love in practice.
《White Flame Heaven-Shaking Thunder》.
A white light source manifesting in the Western Paradise World.
That light source instantly formed ten layers of magic squares...
Blinding flash.
Ear-splitting roar.
...A torrent of light and flame plunged toward Choi Sin-yul like meteors.
Kwagwagwagwagwagwagwa────!
I don't aim for a direct hit.
Just buy time, time alone. Time for me to close in on him.
────Peeeeeong!
Massive explosion.
Soil erupting like a cliff.
Berkenxia form change, 《Morning Glow Ten Crimson Mirrors》.
"Fooooaaaaaaaah────!"
Full-power dive.
Narrowing the distance in one breath.
At the same time, I drew Berkenxia from the mirror shield's sheath.
A sword with only blood groove, base, and hilt.
Liam's Berkenxia.
Hwarrr────!
From that sword.
Dawn sword aura bloomed more brilliantly than ever, clashing directly with the divine sword, <Valkalix>.
───Kaaaaaaaang!