Gloriously (3)

Harcon's voice echoed in my ear.

"……On the battlefield where life and death hang in the balance, sword aura grows even denser, taking on its unique color."

I must truly be standing at death's door.

Those words I'd only vaguely understood before.

Now they clicked in an instant.

I gazed at my sword amid the slowed time.

Sss─sword ray, the stage beyond sword aura.

The blade had turned an inky jet-black.

Silver arrogance coiled around that obsidian edge.

The user's unique color, was it?

……Did my dark history manifest as silver hair or something? What the hell.

Anyway.

Anyone could see it: this was Lee Hoyeol's sword ray.

But more importantly, it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wasn't mere sword aura—it was sword ray.

Thanks to Grandfell's talent, no doubt.

Just like grasping magical realms in a flash.

I naturally understood the gulf between sword aura and sword ray.

How unreachable that realm truly was.

Look at my situation now, for proof.

Even Grandfell's talent could only reach it at the brink of death.

I wanted to savor this monumental growth leisurely.

……Those flashing messages had been cluttering up since earlier.

Swoosh─ Even the sword ray slicing demons.

Thwuk─ Even the crossbow bolts firing out.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Everything felt sluggish, unlike before.

My body had truly hit its limit.

I had no choice but to push on.

Even Grandfell's pride couldn't handle this.

But as I'd anticipated before entering the Arcana continent.

Stab─ Swoosh─ I never stopped hunting for a moment.

If my movements slowed, then slowly.

If any strength remained, to slay one more demon.

I bullied my screaming body onward.

Force it. This was pure force, Grandfell.

Truly a dark history relic.

Death? Whatever.

True to the ghost of my tempestuous youth, fearless of anything.

And that's why I was grateful.

Without that past self, this battlefield would've been utterly unbearable.

Bzzt─!

With a noise.

Mana scattered into the void.

Exhausted mana circuits oxidized.

The [Sinister Wyrm Fang] returned to my inventory.

Now I stood alone on the ground.

The gazes of millions—tens, hundreds of millions—of demons fixed solely on me.

……Every last one a fucking……

No, levels so lofty they were untouchable.

But what terrified me more than the numbers was this: among these countless demons, not a single upper demon king showed itself.

Well, to take down one like me.

No need for the high and mighty to step in.

I murmured.

"Thy reception of a noble guest falls short."

Words flowed smoothly even as I teetered on collapse.

But could they see my limits too?

A voice rang out.

"As expected of the world's Akkshan, the last survivor! I, Rakshioros, western overlord of the Demon Realm, acknowledge thee. Thou wert courageously foolish to the end. Too noble to lump with cowardly humans!"

Western overlord of the Demon Realm, Rakshioros.

The bastard atop a massive beast-form demon blabbered on.

"Very well. I grant thee the honor of serving this body even in death. Anyone! Seize that demon hunter's flesh! Possess it! Do so, and I bestow upon thee the glory of joining the demon king struggle at my equal side!"

A struggle for demon king seats, huh?

Demons have it good.

While we live day to day not knowing what monster or demon might pour from the next rift.

And now? Possess me?

So much to say, but……

No chit-chat with prey.

I moved my fingers instead.

Clack─ Rakshioros blocked the bolt with his palm.

I hadn't expected it to land anyway.

As predicted, just a tickle.

He glanced at his pierced palm and cackled.

"Hahaha!"

His pupils blackened.

"Is this thy final spasm? Last survivor of Akkshan!"

Even department head-level puns……?

You've got it all, don't you.

Fine.

Click─ I lowered both sword and crossbow.

"Finally realized, demon hunter? It's over! Everything!"

Gulp─ Demons swallowing in anticipation.

Kekeke─ Laughter half ecstasy, half mockery.

"Arrogant. Inhumanly arrogant. Didst thou think slaying demon kings and archfiends made thee something? To come here alone! Beyond arrogant—foolish!"

At that declaration, the demon eyes in the night sky twitched.

Full moon to crescent.

The sky-full of demon eyes smirked.

Fallen to the Arcana continent, perhaps.

Akkshan suddenly came to mind.

'Did Akkshan's demon hunters feel like this?'

To uphold their ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pride.

Fought demons to the bitter end.

Only to receive mockery in return.

"How is it? Dost thou feel like wailing now? Like thy fallen comrades. Scream, thou too. Twist that arrogant mug!"

As Rakshioros said.

On death's threshold, even ironclad will might crumble.

But I knew.

"Silence thy prattle."

Yusra. Frost. Tepperun. Akkshan.

Experience taught me.

I had no choice but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to know now.

Human pride endures endlessly.

Akkshan's annihilation? As I said countless times, a gap-period event.

Unrelated to me.

But knowing Akkshan's pride, I couldn't stand idle.

Deviled by demons or whatever.

Abandoned even by allies in the end.

I couldn't ignore them forever.

Yes.

This finale.

My elegy for Akkshan.

Swoosh─ I slowly raised my head.

A massive airship loomed faintly beyond the clouds.

My backup: Iron Castle Ho.

Alone on the ground.

But up in those skies, I'd left something for you lot too.

Glow.

Iron Castle Ho's cannons gleamed unlike before.

A message rose in my blurred vision.

If death was inevitable anyway.

Not just break even.

Die gloriously.

Valuably.

Yes.

This too, part of the full preparation.

I vanish from the Arcana continent with millions of demons.

Vrrr─!

The pinnacle of dwarf tech, Iron Castle Ho.

Its full-power blast.

In other words, that beam cannon outpowered any magic or skill I'd ever seen.

Massive mana condensation.

Clouds parted, revealing the craft.

Rumble─ Their smirks soured.

Demon eyes rolled in panic.

Finally grasping the situation.

Too late, unfortunately.

"……!!!"

Telepathy-like.

Info from the demon eyes.

Rakshioros's face twisted horribly.

"……Madness, demon hunter! Mere spasm! Thy sacrifice changes naught. Even if thou topple millions here, tens of millions—no, hundreds of millions—more demons shall spawn!"

Inconsistent, aren't you.

Tongue finally reined in; no trace of earlier bluster.

No need for talk, but words must be said.

I opened my mouth.

"Then hunt hundreds of millions more."

"……What?"

Couldn't comprehend, surely.

Fair enough.

Dying man claiming to hunt hundreds of millions, swept in mana bombardment?

Incomprehensible.

But don't misunderstand.

Who's dying?

Arcana continent.

Find a way back in.

I'll appear before you lot again, as many times as needed.

Until hundreds of millions are slain……!

Can't break a promise, my nature.

But that's enough for today.

I continued.

"This is but the beginning."

"……?"

"I am a demon hunter."

"……!"

"Thy natural enemy. Thy terror."

I finished the words I couldn't say calmly.

Then sealed my lips.

Yes, silence is my hunting stance.

The signal flare.

Shwooo─!

Soon, a terrifying mana beam engulfed my vision.

Amid demons' agonized screams, messages flooded.

Countless, overwhelming volumes.

……

……

……

* Iron Castle Ho.

"……Damn it all!!"

Dwarf leader Chainwalker Hardrock spat his fury.

"Was this truly the only way?!"

All had unfolded as planned.

Demons swarmed to slay Akkshan's survivor, the last demon hunter.

And Iron Castle Ho unleashed its trump card to sweep them.

Hearing the plan via spirit High El, he'd been baffled.

Iron Castle Ho's max output.

No matter how magic-savvy Hoyeol was, blocking without harm was impossible.

—"Believe in me even so. That's what Sir Hoyeol commanded."

But what was an oath?

One could only obey.

Especially an oath with Akkshan—unbreakable.

Despite doubts, he'd followed.

But was this truly the script?

Chainwalker and the dwarves had witnessed it all.

"……That's no load one man can handle!"

"Chainwalker! Join him now—it's the right call!"

"We can't lose Akkshan's survivor like this!"

At the end, they spotted Hoyeol lowering sword and crossbow.

Cornered, by any eye.

Did he truly have a way?

Doubts endless, but Chainwalker steeled himself.

"Once was enough betrayal. We trust only Akkshan."

Clack─ Fire.

The mana beam devouring millions.

Blast's backlash propelled Iron Castle Ho away.

Retreat too, part of Hoyeol's plan.

Chainwalker gnashed his teeth.

"……Do we deserve thy worry?"

Lost in thought briefly.

"!"

High El.

Link to the spirit reached his mind.

High El, Hoyeol's contract spirit.

Proof Hoyeol lived.

And he witnessed.

High El emitting light beyond elegance—sublime.

"High El, Sir Hoyeol is……?"

High El replied to Chainwalker's question.

"No need for worry. He is safe. As always."

In a voice kinder than ever.

.

.

.

……Choosing the nearest rift to the Mage Tower felt pointless now.

What the.

My body felt perfectly fine.

In a word……

Back when Arcana was just a game.

The fatigue of rising from a VR capsule.

Exactly that.

'From night till dawn.'

Nonstop fighting.

Yet only two hours passed, per the clock.

I wanted to rush back to the tower.

Check on Marcelo first—proper procedure.

But I recalled my grandstanding at the roundtable.

Returning after a measly two hours? Embarrassing……

So I surveyed the rift.

Review those messages too.

Kill two birds, return slowly……

"!"

But I saw it.

My jacket, shirt, slacks—shredded to rags.

No wounds left, but bloodstains remained.

Exposing my skin.

Embarrassing for me.

Grandfell wouldn't tolerate such rags.

Portal manifest at once.

Two-hour outing? Whatever.

Change first.

I changed with utmost restraint.

Change and head out again.

But my resolve faded.

Knock knock─ Urgent knocking.

……Can't I pretend not home without issue?

I replied as if waiting.

"One moment."

Buttons first.

"Enter."

Door opened at my permission.

Bellie entered.

She'd spoken to me wearing Duke Swallin's treasure.

"I didn't expect your return so soon."

Me neither.

"Marcelo. No, Chief Mage Marcelo has awakened……!"

Knew it.

But hearing it eased my mind.

"……?"

Bellie's gaze shifted to the rags neatly hung on the chair.

Fixed on the blood-soaked shreds.

Before I could speak.

"……Chief Hoyeol? Those clothes?"

Bellie asked in a trembling voice.

"What……? What happened on the Arcana continent?"

This personality.

Can't let wrongs slide.

I straightened my attire and brazenly replied.

"Nothing happened."

"……?"

"I hunted millions of demons."

"……Pardon?!"

Well, we died together, but not wrong.