Labyrinth of the Ark (5)

I kicked off the ground and charged at him.

BOOM!

A colossal explosion tore through the air.

Gritting my teeth, I unleashed a relentless string of spear strikes.

KAGAGAGAGANG!

Every time my spear collided with Marca's blade, the entire space shuddered.

Dozens of exchanges flashed by in an interval of less than a single second.

"You've grown far stronger than the last report I received. As expected—this is the growth ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rate of the Defying Heavens, is it!"

"You people have always done nothing but scream 'Defying Heavens' the moment you see me."

I'm nothing of the sort.

I'm just the bastard who's going to beat you all to death.

FWHACK!

I split the gap between his blades with my spear, then drove a mana-loaded kick into his gut.

"Kgh…!"

His body launched into the air.

I wasn't some fool who neglected his lower body just because I favored the spear.

On the contrary—spears and every other weapon draw on the legs that anchor the body far more than most realize.

WHUMP!

I leveled my spearhead at Marca as he drifted through empty air, and poured my strength into both legs.

FWHOOSH!

Karma Flame coiled around my spear.

ZZZZZRAK!

And the power of the Yaksha wrapped itself around my entire body.

Then, coiling like a released spring, I rocketed upward and carved out a rising spear technique.

A trail of afterimages stretched long behind the spear. The instant I thrust it out to run him through—

"…So. If this is your full power."

His eyes gleamed.

The next moment, the radiant light of the sun blazed forth from him.

"You're in for a disappointment, Defying Heavens."

A sword of light swept out dozens of slashes in a single breath.

The speed was almost too much for my eyes to follow.

SHRAKK!

It shattered my spear form in an instant and carved wounds large and small across my body.

"Tch!"

Of course. That's what being World Ranker-class means, huh.

He wasn't about to just eat an attack like that.

I quickly widened the distance and tried to regroup.

SSSSSS—!

Then a searing, burning pain erupted from the very wounds his blade had just opened.

"Gghk?!"

"The flame of the sun burns all things. Even a heaven that has gone astray ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is no exception."

He sure talks grand for a guy who just admitted his sword applies a burn debuff.

But it's fine.

Enduring pain happens to be my area of expertise.

And thanks to my Flame Dominion trait, pain caused by fire is more familiar to me than anything.

"Hoo…."

Exhaling a slow breath, I formed the Flame Soul Moon Blade once more.

"That flame, don't tell me…."

Marca's face twisted as he stared at my Flame Soul.

"Why would that be in your hands… no—it hardly matters now."

Gripping the sword in his left hand in a reverse hold, he radiated a ferocious killing intent.

The heavy air pressed down all at once.

"Don't tell me this is the end of it?"

"Of course not."

I drew out both of the powers within my body and wielded them simultaneously.

Aheady surge of omnipotence seared through my veins.

I immediately spread the presence of a superior being. The pressure of his killing intent diluted, and bit by bit, my own energy began to claim dominion over the space.

"I could kill a hundred of you and not break a sweat."

His earlier attack had told me everything.

This man was stronger than Diana.

Not the weakened Diana—the Diana at her full strength.

Not all World Rankers possessed identical prowess. Naturally, even among them, a hierarchy of strength existed. Though the difference in their positions made it impossible to declare one absolutely stronger than the other…

I've crossed blades with both of them.

Which is why I could tell.

That Marca stood on a higher plane than Diana.

In that case—

Beyond what I was already using, I had no choice but to throw every possible means I had into resisting him.

FWHOOSH!

I poured Karma Flame over the summoned Dantalion.

A fierce refusal from the Flame Soul. I could almost see it—the vision of that red-haired woman I'd seen that day, throwing a tantrum.

Gazing at the flickering crimson flame, I spoke quietly.

"…I'm begging you."

I have to kill that man.

I absolutely must protect the Ark, and stop the annihilation of the Magic Tower.

If only for Diana's sake.

And for my own sake, too.

Just this once—move the way I want you to.

The flame ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that had resisted me moments before glided smoothly around the lance.

FWARARARARA!

Resonating with the Demon-Dragon's power, the Flame Soul blazed into a violet-black inferno. Beyond the hand gripping the lance, I felt an intense force crashing into me.

"Ho… so that's how you wield that flame? Interesting."

"Let's see if you still find it interesting when that lance crushes your skull in."

"…Insolent wretch."

FWAAAH!

Marca's solar blade erupted with radiance.

And in the next instant—

KWAAAAAAA—!

The two forces collided.

Baek Seo-ha sprinted forward and reached the place the wolf was leading her to.

The first thing that met her eyes was blood, soaking the floor thick and wet.

"…!"

She'd seen enough of it to be sick of it over the past day, and yet somehow this felt even harder to stomach. Perhaps because she knew it was the blood of someone she knew. For a moment, she was almost afraid to look at the scene beyond.

TAT!

But she moved without a moment's hesitation.

At once, the landscape of the chamber filled her vision. The surroundings were half-ruined, as if a ferocious battle had raged here. Countless sword scars were carved into the walls. And sprawled powerlessly across the floor—

"Diana!"

The silver witch.

Baek Seo-ha rushed over and checked her condition.

"Huk…!"

An involuntary gasp escaped her.

Her state was far too horrific. Her abdomen had been run through by a blade who knew how many times, the skin sliced to ribbons, her innards laid bare. Lethal wounds riddled every corner of her body. She'd lost so much blood that her skin had gone ice-white—a corpse in all but appearance.

"Hh… uu… sss…."

Call it a blessing in misfortune.

Diana's breath had not yet fully stopped.

Confirming that she was still breathing, Baek Seo-ha allowed herself a small sigh of relief.

Still, it's too early to relax.

She was, quite literally, nothing more than 'barely clinging to life.' Unless she received treatment immediately—no. Even with treatment, whether she'd survive was anyone's guess.

And to manage that, one of two choices had to be made.

Either defeat the intruder, or abandon the Ark.

The intruder would no doubt lift the barrier the moment he claimed the Ark. Then she could rush Diana to an intensive care facility.

But whether she'd survive until then, I don't know.

Besides, even if they found the Ark, there was no guarantee the man wouldn't turn on them.

In the end, only one option remained.

Subjugate the intruder.

Neutralize him quickly, then release the Magic Tower's barrier.

Baek Seo-ha steeled herself.

"For now… this much, at least."

She took out a potion and poured ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it over the wounds. It wouldn't do much against injuries this severe, but as a stopgap, it was enough.

"Sss…."

Diana's expression eased slightly.

"Tae-hyun, sir! Seo-ha, naaame!"

Then, a sobbing voice from behind.

"S-Seo-ha, ma'am!"

Karin, arriving late, threw her arms around Baek Seo-ha the moment she laid eyes on her. A pretty face utterly smeared with tears. Panting hard, she hugged her tight against her chest.

"Thank goodness… you're safe… really…."

"Um… excuse me…."

"Sniff! I thought you were really dead… I was so…."

For a moment, Baek Seo-ha's feelings turned strange.

To grieve this much just because she'd thought Seo-ha was dead.

…Why?

Forcibly suppressing the ticklish, fluttering emotion, Baek Seo-ha calmed Karin down and explained the situation.

"Diana, ma'am…."

Karin recoiled in shock at the sight of the ruined Diana. Then she drew out her own potion and, this time, trickled it between Diana's lips.

Gulp….

Diana's throat rippled faintly.

They'd done everything they could here. All that remained was the fight.

"We have to defeat the intruder, quickly."

"But how do we find out where he is?"

"That's…."

"Woof!"

Baek Seo-ha's wolf barked at the two of them. Then it raised a forepaw and struck the floor twice.

TAP, TAP!

Two taps meant 'grave danger.' There were three of them here at present, which meant the remaining one was—

"Lee Tae-hyun!"

"Tae-hyun, sir…!"

Lee Tae-hyun had fallen into danger.

Only one scenario here could have caused it.

Lee Tae-hyun has come face to face with the intruder.

Which meant the Ark existed in the direction Tae-hyun had gone, too.

I have to go help him!

In that instant, Diana's ruined image overlapped with Tae-hyun's in her mind. Sweat beaded in her palms, and her mouth went bone-dry.

I'd love for one of us to stay at Diana's side, but….

The enemy was strong enough to reduce even Diana to this state. She couldn't afford to insist on doing only what was ideal against an opponent like that.

This time, she had to go together with Karin.

Baek Seo-ha moved Diana into a corner where the monsters were unlikely to spot her.

"One of you two stays here and guards this woman. We'll need her when we come back, too."

"Woof woof! Hah hah…!"

The wolf that had followed Karin took its place at Diana's side. It was, after all, a wolf summoned by Lee Tae-hyun himself—that much, at least, could be trusted.

"Let's go."

"Yes, Lady Seo-ha!"

Baek Seo-ha and Karin hurried off after the wolf.

Toward the battlefield where Lee Tae-hyun and the intruder clashed.

SHRAGRGRGRK!

Blinding sword strikes assailed me without a single breath to spare. I fell back, widening the distance, and swung the lance wreathed in black flame.

I don't yet fully understand this power.

But the essence behind the three foundational motions of the spear—this much, I could manage even now.

"Ssah…!"

Drawing in a breath and holding it, I detonated the Demon-Dragon's power in a violent burst—and in that state, wielded the 'spear'!

FWRRLK!

The motions of Block-Seize-Thrust () unfolded as if second nature. The flames smoldered and deflected, one by one, every blade-path that came slicing toward me.

FWHAGRK!

At the counter-thrust that followed without pause, Marca's eyes twitched.

"What's the matter? Does it hurt?"

"Quiet."

I shouldn't be calling this painful.

The real attack hasn't even started yet.

FWAP!

I spread my wings and pulled back, then concentrated the Dark Soul into the lance.

"…!"

Sensing my intent, he too steadied his blade and prepared his swordsmanship.

"You are a dangerous one. I cannot leave you to keep growing like this."

FWAAAAH!

Light poured out of him in waves.

"I'll end this here, without fail."

"What a coincidence. I was thinking the exact same thing."

You people, who mean to repeat the annihilation of my past life—

I can spare you not a shred of mercy.

Here, you die. For certain.

FWRRLK!

Sssss—!

Black flame and brilliant light. Opposing forces coiled tighter and tighter around one another.

KUUNG! KUUNG! KWAAAAAANG!

The labyrinth shook as though it would collapse at any moment. An impact like hundreds of bombs detonating in compression. A dizzying force traveled up through my fingertips.

But—

I couldn't let go of the spear. Not like this.

"Hnnngh!"

I burned through my mana, reinforcing every fiber of my body. My heart pounded fit to burst.

Pierce through him!

The Dark Soul spiraled, conjuring the afterimage of a colossal lance. A spiraling thrust that recalled the Honwon Geuk Mu.

"Th… this is…!"

I could see bewitchment spreading across Marca's face.

"Hrrrngh!"

Riding that momentum, I drove the lance in with everything I had.

FWOOK!

The tip of the lance bit deep into Marca's body.

"KHEK!"

Blood poured from his mouth.

Got him!

Now I'd stir up the current of the Dark Soul and burn him whole.

The very moment I moved to execute the plan that had surfaced in my mind—

GRAB!

His hand seized me.

Cold sweat streaming down his face, Marca flashed a grin overflowing with madness.

"Got… you…!"

Then, gathering light into the sword held in his other hand—

"Goodbye, Defying Heavens!"

He swung it, aiming for my throat.