Chapter 51: Ragnarok (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 51: Ragnarok (3)
In the past, I tried to do everything on my own. It wasn't because I had an overinflated ego or anything.
I suppose it was because I was a possessor—a guy inherently set apart from the rest.
So, what I'm trying to say is...
It certainly wasn't because I secretly looked down on my friends. I, more than anyone, knew just how outstanding they were.
It feels like an ancient memory now, but I was once a player of Miracle Blessing M. I saw every single one of their absurd stats clearly in numbers.
'And on top of that, they've grown.'
Calling them the Golden Generation feels inadequate. My classmates are the Diamond Generation.
Lineage.
For a hero, it was a privilege, but conversely, a constraint. Unless one made an extraordinary effort, it was normal to live one's entire life within the fence of family lineage, confined to the "Hereditary Blessing" determined at birth.
'My friends are different.'
They transcended the limits of lineage. Their bloodlines were already superior to begin with, but if they grew even further from here, they could surpass the strongholds of their ancestors.
The Immortal Archer, Saki Ryozo, would surpass the Archery Saint family's ancestor, the Divine Archer.
The Sword Princess, Abel von Nibelung, would surpass the Nibelung family's ancestor, the Sword Saint.
The Hero, Leon, would surpass his father, the Archangel Metatron.
"I..."
...believe in them. Even if I had to refer to them abstractly because saying it out loud felt too embarrassing.
The world is changing rapidly. Earth is, and so is this world.
Maintaining the status quo means falling behind. Humans quickly adapt, adjusting themselves to the situation and phenomena around them. That process is called growth, and its outcome is evolution.
I believe.
I've believed all along.
And my friends...
=...How can humans...?=
They were demonstrating through their actions that my belief was correct. It was a moment when my vague faith gained both substance and weight.
As if proving it, while my heart pounded heavily, Ragnarok's voice grew heavy in a different sense. "Darkened" would be a better word for it.
=To resist the attack of an Apostle? This is unprecedented across all worldlines...=
The anxiety that had overwhelmed me just moments ago vanished as if washed away. Just as Yoo Se-in said, in a mere minute.
A proud smile spread across my lower lip. I gently bit down with my upper teeth, holding it back for later. It was still too early to laugh.
Even so.
"One thing I've realized fighting divine beings like you is that you guys are always weak against variables."
=Variables are like bacteria in the system of probability! As a being of equal status, how can you know that and still ignore it?=
The Old Knight erupted in a fierce roar. Will-o'-the-wisps streamed out from the eye sockets of the donkey skull.
"Humans need bacteria to live healthily. That's how immunity builds up."
=...In the end, you were the problem. Because you exist, this world is breaking.=
"That's just by your standards."
I drew Ten-Thousand-Year Frost from my waist. I bit down hard on it with my teeth. I switched Murasame and the EX-rank Armament to reverse grips. Then, I lowered my stance as if lead weights were sitting on my back.
=You look like a beast.=
"I was in the Wolf Class during my school days. Besides, seeing those guys scurrying around up there gave me an idea."
Skoll and Hati had finally reached the sun and moon. Their fangs flashed as they bit down hard into the spheres. The sun spewing arrows and the bow waned and warped.
'The situation has improved.'
On the ground, they handled the ground.
In the heavens, I handled the heavens.
So I could focus entirely on battle. This three-sword style was part of that focus.
Grrrrrr...
Breathing with the sashimi knife clamped in my mouth produced a low growl. It came from my own throat, but sounded remarkably like the snarl of a wolf.
Crackle!
Dark clouds began to envelop me. The lightning magic I conjured pulled the clouds toward me. The swirling dark clouds covered me like armor.
My magic and nature clashed, mercilessly spewing thunderclaps. Tiny sparks stood on end like beast fur.
=The black wolf that devours gods.=
To Ragnarok, the Knight of Conquest, this appearance evidently resembled a jackal or wolf.
=So the humans you had to protect were your shackles—your Gleipnir. And as each of them awakened, those shackles snapped at this very moment.=
"..."
=Is that not so?=
Ragnarok urged on, lightly tapping the reins of the headless donkey.
=Fenrir.=
Far off, Skoll and Hati, who were devouring the sun and moon, registered my presence. They threw their heads back and roared.
Awooooooo-!
Awooooooo-!
As if that were the signal flare, the beasts of the apocalypse clashed. The shockwave nearly shook the stars suspended in the universe from their places.
* * *
On the ground, where the Golem raid was in full swing.
BOOOOM!
At another violent upheaval, everyone raised their heads. Beyond the clouds, two streaks of lightning collided. It was a speed truly rivaling light.
It was to the point where sight and reality failed to coincide. The residual images they saw were events that had transpired seconds ago.
Kang Geomma and his enemy were fighting in the domain of the future. The trajectories of the two transcendent beings connected the stars, embroidering constellations across the amber sky bathed in twilight.
Clang-!
They crossed paths. Kang Geomma, in the form of a wolf, channeled Herculean power into his ankles to pivot sharply. It looked as if his ankle bones might burst through his skin.
He charged again. Kang Geomma did not spare his body. He used everything he could.
With his strikes, lightning fanned out behind the enemy. Where the electricity evaporated, pitch-black darkness gleamed. Dimension was severed, softly peeling back the veil of another dimension.
=Neiiigh!=
The skeleton knight riding the headless donkey was equally formidable. Ducking his upper body to let the attack slip past, he nocked and fired an arrow the moment he widened the angle. Though only one arrow left the string, the number of arrows bombarding Kang Geomma was meaningless to count with the naked eye.
Whoooosh.
It was as if a tsunami were swamping Kang Geomma. It was an atrocious scale that sapped the energy of anyone watching.
Kang Geomma held the cord of Murasame and swung it in a massive arc. Sword trajectories resembling silver discs spread wide and repeatedly, slicing through the waves layer by layer.
Slash!
Even as it poured from all directions, Kang Geomma was undeterred. He slammed lightning magic into his sashimi knife and charged into the tidal wave. Immediately after he emerged on the other side, the tidal wave invariably crumbled into dust, erased with only a futile last breath left behind.
The contrast between the ground, an absolute chaotic mess, and the heavens, a beautiful mess, was bizarre yet majestic.
However, they couldn't stay distracted forever. Ryozo withdrew her gaze from the heavens.
Everyone had their assigned role. While Kang Geomma, the specialist, dealt with the unknowable enemy, the Joaquin group had to protect the people.
'Geomma, I'll trust you. So trust us.'
Ryozo spoke inwardly. The taut recoil of the bowstring transmitted to her fingertips. The bottom surface of the hammer. She set its center as her target.
She released. The arrow advanced wrapped in a vortex. It whizzed past someone's earlobe, beside a shoulder, between legs, or close enough to freeze someone's blood by a hair's breadth.
Finally.
Crack!
A hit. A gap formed. Fine cracks spread like a shattering glass window. The farther from where the arrow struck, the larger the fragments were.
Crash!
As if releasing the tension, the hammer shattered into pieces. Everyone had worked together to batter the hammer relentlessly. Ryozo's wedge was the fruit of everyone's collective effort.
"Nice job-!"
Yoo Se-in gave a thumb-up with a wink. But without taking a moment to breathe, Ryozo said:
"Se-in, earlier I saw you laying a barrier under your feet to jump. Can you do that for others too?"
"You want to get close to that hunk of rock?"
They caught on instantly. Abel, who had come over before anyone noticed, chipped in.
"We need to deal with that blockhead as quickly as possible. That way Geomma can focus better."
"Seriously, what did Kang Geomma do in his past life to live such a blessed life...? Was the title of 'Nation's Best Swordsman' really this amazing?"
"What do you mean by that?"
At Ryozo's question, Yoo Se-in waved her hand.
"There is a sad legend passed down in the Kang family."
"You're a Yoo."
"Let's just excuse that minor detail."
"..."
Ignoring the dubious gaze, Yoo Se-in formed a hand seal. A pair of circular wheels were drawn on the ground. Rune language rotated on the outermost edge of the wheels.
"Get on, everyone."
Yoo Se-in gestured with her chin toward the space behind Abel.
"The Rakshasa over there and the maid miss should ride along too. Looks like every bit of help is needed, so go give a hand."
"Thank you, Saintess."
Charon placed a hand over his chest and bowed politely. Shail also lifted her skirt slightly in courtesy.
After exchanging brief pleasantries, the four flew toward the Golem aboard the barrier. Watching their receding backs, Yoo Se-in wiped her forehead.
"Phew, one thing taken care of..."
Uh-oh.
"That was a flag."
A presence.
Yoo Se-in let out a resigned sigh and turned around. As expected. A far-from-welcome face stood there.
"If you're not gonna help, just leave."
A beautiful girl with striking ebony hair. Chae Lina looked at the desperate struggle between humanity and the Golem before turning her gaze to Yoo Se-in.
"...You cannot resist the Counterforce."
"Then what do you call what those guys are doing right now if not resisting? Playing house?"
"You know it too. Even if you get past this now, there are more ahead. And at the end of it—"
"Big sis here has everything figured out, okay? So our little Hell Girl over there shouldn't ruin the party and just go back nicely to the Academy. Come to think of it, I don't see the second-years and third-years."
"..."
"Don't tell me."
Chae Lina shook her head in denial.
"I just knocked them out temporarily."
"Right. Thanks for not killing them."
"You..."
Chae Lina parted her lips, straining to squeeze out her words.
"No, you aren't from this world either. So why are you trying so hard? Same with Fenrir. If he had just obediently accepted his fate, everything would have been fine. But he refused to the very end, and that's why this disaster happened."
"If you assign blame like that, everyone in this world is a sinner. Kang Geomma made his choice, and I made mine. I don't know what decision you made inside, but we decided to protect this world."
"...This world isn't the entirety of the worldlines."
"At least for Kang Geomma and me, it is."
Yoo Se-in laughed refreshingly.
"Soon enough, it'll be that way for you too, Chae Lina."
"..."
"So go hide somewhere for today. You need to play an active role in the 'next apocalypse.' If you get hurt before that, it'll be a real headache."
"How can you be so sure you'll overcome this apocalypse? Across all worldlines searched, there has never been a single case of overcoming the apocalypse."
Chae Lina genuinely looked like she couldn't understand. Yoo Se-in gestured toward the sky with her eyes.
"A singularity always exists."
As if the answer were right up there.
"For us, it's him."
* * *
The scales of battle naturally tilt toward one side over time. A fight is like an ember, and as time passes, one side eventually runs out of heat.
In this bloody battle in the heavens, surprisingly, it was Kang Geomma who was wavering. Rough, ragged breaths burst out off-beat continuously.
'Damn it. I haven't used my sword enough lately.'
Their powers were evenly matched. In terms of pure martial prowess alone, Kang Geomma held a slight upper hand.
=As expected of the Apostle of Destruction.=
Just as he said, Kang Geomma's power—the attribute of the Blessing of the Sword God was "Destruction." An authority far more specialized in battle than an abstract concept like conquest.
=However, you are rusty.=
A sashimi knife must be sharpened regularly. A knife that sees little use naturally dulls its edge.
Humans were the same. Although there is an adage that 'form is temporary, class is permanent,' returning to peak class takes time. Kang Geomma hadn't encountered an opponent capable of matching him for a long time.
Ragnarok was far from unscathed either. Setting aside stamina, his actual physical condition was worse.
The donkey he rode was down to one leg and practically incapable of battle. Thus, out of necessity, the Old Knight dismounted. The donkey collapsed, and the master set both feet upon the clouds.
"Haa, haa."
The clouds flowing around Kang Geomma's body dispersed. Returning to human form as if shedding a skin, Kang Geomma spat out Ten-Thousand-Year Frost.
=The plan to deal with you and descend to the ground was a product of my arrogance. I acknowledge it. You and this world have indeed surprised me.=
The Old Knight strode forward with long strides. With every step, the clouds scrambled to disperse.
Kang Geomma and Ragnarok glanced overhead. Skoll and Hati had devoured nearly half the sun and moon. Even though they had been shot full of arrows like hedgehogs, they remained faithful to their orders. Admirable.
=That is enough amusement.=
Ragnarok bit through the bowstring with his teeth. It was common sense that a bow without a string was useless.
=Beasts of the earth.=
The bow body emitted a bright light of pale green, becoming engulfed in dozens of non-linear beams of light.
He gave Kang Geomma no time to react. By 'his will,' Ragnarok chopped a fleeting moment into an eternity.
A panorama of countless scenes. Amidst overlapping dimensions, he pulled out one of his past/possible actions as if selecting a book from a library. An authority that twisted causality as if it were natural.
=My arrow has surely struck this world. Thinking it targeted a single point is proof of your ignorance.=
Assuming the hit detection would be a living creature or terrain was a miscalculation. The Arrow of Conquest had fully detonated within the dimension of this world.
Schwing.
Ragnarok pulled his shoulder far back and raised the bow body high. It was a posture filled with majesty, fitting for a god of thunder judging humanity.
=Gae Bolg.=
As his mouth closed, the sequence of scenes unfolded across multiple dimensions merged in an instant. The layered scenes coalesced into a three-dimensional form.
Flash!
The next moment, the bow body shuddered right in the middle of the drill ground. The heroes battling the Golem turned their eyes toward the impact point.
Hundreds, thousands of pairs of short arms pulled themselves out from the cracked earth. They were demons with insect wings. Their faces were grotesque, but their sheer numbers were sickeningly vast.
The heroes stood dumbfounded. They had already been struggling just dealing with a single Golem.
The reason they could hold their ground against the Golem was that they had superior numbers. But now that advantage was rendered meaningless. It was no surprise if their spirits broke.
Abel muttered unconsciously.
"Father."
For some reason, that single word reached Kang Geomma's ears. He didn't know why.
A thunderclap of enlightenment simply struck inside his mind.
Bzzzzzz—
A ring of light formed in Kang Geomma's black pupils. It spun fiercely like a wheel.
[Demon Eye Defying Heaven]
The world I see is total darkness. The Demon Eye pushed reality aside and dragged consciousness to the surface.
...And so, I saw it. A red thread flowing leisurely through the pitch blackness.
Feeling as if a pit were opening beneath me, I gathered my focus. I pushed my mind to the absolute limit.
[Constraint]
Just as Victoria did in the second event. I sacrificed all real-world senses to interfere with the far side of dimension.
I reached out with Murasame. Crackling blue noise filled the space between the blade's tip and the thread.
[Divine Lightning]
[Petrification]
[Lightning Slash]
No sound could be heard.
A brilliant light illuminated the entire world. Everyone, including Ragnarok, squeezed their eyes shut.
Time, which had seemed frozen, began to move again. Only then did everyone open their eyes. Their eyes still stung.
"...!"
A legion of stalwart men lined up in neat ranks and files. Wearing archaic yet dignified armor, they slowly rose to their feet.
—O King of the Dead.
Thump! They struck the ground with the bases of their weapons to rally their spirits.
With the Demon Eye Defying Heaven, he faced the 'Slashing Line of Death' head-on and cut right through it.
Because of that, the dead of the Catacomb were freed into the living world. Kang Geomma gathered them here using the [Power of the Underworld King]. Furthermore, he solidified magic power with the [Authority of Petrification], establishing the foundation for the dead to manifest.
—We answer your call.
At the head of the dead stood Orion von Nibelung, half his face concealed behind his sword. His stern gaze glared at the insect demons. Because Kang Geomma temporarily bestowed the [Authority of the Fierce Horn] upon Orion, Fear entangled the enemies.
—We uphold our Lord's will.
The giants of history stepped forward for their descendants.
—Gigantomachia. The Beginning [始].