Chapter 198
Chapter 198
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 198
Chapter Title: Creation's Verdict
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- The ability that Geldharia gave to big brother... it really seems like something beautiful.
Someone's voice echoes.
Like moonlight faintly shining through on a summer night, a voice so clear it makes the chest ache.
- To manifest that power by reciting the story of Genesis... it's just like singing, isn't it?
Whose memory is this?
The Black Yang Lin, chained to my heart with iron links, burns hot.
- It's truly beautiful.
Yes, this is Carenden's memory.
The one who calls Carenden "big brother"—naturally, it must be Tersia, the lead goddess among the [Arrived Ones].
'No, this isn't the time to be thinking about that.'
Right now, the only thing that matters is that Carenden is pushing my back along with the resonance of this memory.
The true way to use the Psalms flows directly into my brain—the method Carenden wielded them with in the era of the gods.
I can't use it exactly the same way yet, not perfectly like Carenden who confronted the ancient kings.
'Advance.'
It feels like she's telling me.
To move forward.
"I'll end it in 30 seconds. Cover me."
I was certain Bart would reply with a natural "Yes."
"30 seconds? You provoking me?"
I don't wait for his answer.
Against the vortex of sword ki unleashed by the Dragon Slayer's swinging dragonbone spear, I erect a barrier of flames.
At the same time, my mouth begins chanting the sacred and holy verses, the Psalms of Creation.
"Primeval Holy Light."
Resonating to its master's call, the words of the psalm overlaying the mental barrier's frame rise one by one.
"Genesis of Heaven and Earth."
Each of those words contains a staggering amount of mana that raises goosebumps across my entire body.
"The Earth is Void."
With the power of the Psalms of Creation, even the connection between the Dragon Slayer's body—untouchable by Bell Quirius—and the spirit orb can be severed.
No point in pouring out strike-based techniques. It'll just regenerate at ultra-high speed anyway. Like Shar'kas or Nariaduk.
That's why Carenden must have taught me this method.
"Boundless Chaos."
The sacred characters deploy translucently around the Dragon Slayer.
'No way, those characters?'
The Dragon Slayer's pupils shake.
Wasn't this guy a mage? But he's wielding the power of the Psalms? Normally, you have to maintain a stationary stance to use the Psalms, right?
Someone else has to guard you while you're chanting? But why is this guy charging in?
"Interesting! You dare show off in front of me?"
His leg strength, amplified to the extreme, launches his body forward with a shockwave.
Keeeeeeng!
Flame chains halve that momentum—Severing Flame Chain Bind. I block the weakened dragonbone spear with my stone staff and continue the incantation.
"Abyssal Face of Darkness."
A holy power rises above the barrier, and at the same time, the luminosity of the string of characters swirling around the Dragon Slayer grows ever clearer.
"Holy Light Spirit."
Amid the crossing shouts of frenzy, infinite hellfire and infinite lightning clash endlessly, explosions blooming in all directions.
"Holy."
The dragonbone spear closes in instantly.
"Light."
Blazing Blood Burst forward, three shots.
"God."
Golden lightning cancels it out.
"Said."
A shockwave spirals, plowing up the ground.
"Shall."
Chain slashes of heart sword.
"Have."
An explosive roar like thunder, dimension sliced 36 times. Ground crumbling.
"Light."
Mana maximized for quantity, runes generating to form a flame barrier.
"Even."
That barrier pierced, dragonbone spear and stone staff clash amid a vortex of lightning. Left shoulder blade and wrist bone shatter simultaneously.
"Light."
Among those witnessing this transcendent feast, Valensidis—who had the deepest understanding of the Psalms—felt a chill run down his spine.
'Chanting psalm verses while spamming 5-star magic?'
To mentally calculate that impossible equation while memorizing psalm verses—it's no different from being told to look left and right at the same time.
'But that guy's doing it casually.'
Of course, strictly speaking, it wasn't his power alone.
"Oooooooowaaaaaaaah────!"
Whenever a gap appeared, the black iron warrior was there to block the Dragon Slayer lunging for it.
────"Nuaaaaaaaaah!"
And a rain of blue-white arrows relentlessly checked the Dragon Slayer's movements.
'Even with help...'
What mage in the world could pull off such a stunt while trading blows with a supreme swordsman from a previous era?
A true transcendent feast.
The endlessly crossing flames and lightning appear merely as red and yellow afterimages.
- The great archmage Lin fought for those who needed help.
Doran felt those words his sister once told him as a child flowing from within those afterimages.
- Never backing down, not caring if his own body crumbled.
Become a mage like that.
One whose back inspires hope in others.
"Holy."
A massive amount of mana converges into character forms, whipping up a storm.
"Light."
The ultimate power of the Psalms, but if the chant breaks even once midway, all the power built up returns to nothing—a risk that exists.
"Behold."
In other words, that duel ends if the Dragon Slayer can just shut Rain's mouth for one moment.
"Light."
The dragonbone spear scatters the flame barrier like chaff and spins fiercely as it charges.
Oh no.
Barely dodging the thrust packed with overwhelming muscle power and rotational force, a hook drives deep into my solar plexus.
"Don't underestimate me, half-dragon!"
The air bursts explosively, saliva and breath erupting from my lungs like an explosion, immense inertia assaulting my body.
"In my prime, with just this one────!"
Ribs are all shattered.
Rib fragments pierce not just my lungs but all my organs. Internal bleeding spreading—a fatal blow. If Ceresia hadn't mitigated the damage, I'd be dead.
────dragonbone spear, I took on three FakeWarriors and one true dragon!"
As I crash into a tree and spew blood, the sword ki erupting from the dragonbone spear is about to pierce my heart.
"Rain, don't stop!"
Namryun's secret art, Human Vanguard Guide.
Bart's axe blade, wrapped in sword aura, flies in and clashes with the dragonbone spear, deflecting its trajectory.
"For...!"
Bart charges right after, grabbing the axe haft and exchanging blows.
"Namryun whelp."
As the shockwaves from the clash of heavy armors sweep the earth, Rain continues the holy incantation, blood pouring from him.
"Aki, get out!"
And then, Aki grabs the hem of Rain's clothes where he's embedded in the tree and starts dragging him out of the battlefield.
'Don't make me laugh.'
Wrinkles form on Arthur Brius's brow.
I am the Dragon Slayer.
I've leaped over lines like this countless times even in my previous life. You think I'll waste this hard-won second life so pointlessly?
"Good...!"
Lightning flashes in a single stroke atop the spinning dragonbone spearhead, dancing as a blaze of light...
An explosive roar like thunder erupts, and the transcendent power slams into Bart's axe and black armor, shattering them entirely.
The flesh beneath the armor, now drenched in blood, rolls across the ground.
"Accomplish────!"
Now the final verse.
Pour everything in before it's too late and end it—Dragon Thunder Line Slash.
As blinding radiance gathers on the Dragon Slayer's raised dragonbone spear, scorching the retinas, three arrows embed into the spearhead.
────"Divide!"
Two left.
Roots sprouting from the arrows desperately halt the dragonbone spear's attempt to plunge into the ground.
Because it couldn't reach the ground? The transcendent power dancing on the spearhead bursts into dozens of falling thunderbolts into the empty air.
...!
Did the killing technique scatter meaninglessly?
No.
From atop a tree in the forest, Rem—stringing a new arrow on Serwebon's bow—felt a near-panic chill and had to sprint backward at full speed.
'That split-second aimed right at me.'
Dozens of thunderbolts immediately sweep the forest, incinerating everything within a 100-meter radius of the center in an instant.
"Light────!"
One left.
Arthur Brius hurls the dragonbone spear.
His feet dig deep into the ground before shooting forward like an arrow. Heart swords roaring desperately from both hands, bolts of lightning.
Tzzzzzzzzzt...!
Before that throat can chant.
Before the final resonance completes the psalm.
'I'm faster.'
Currents whirl along his path—a lightspeed footwork said to be usable only by those at the pinnacle of swordsmanship. The thunder from the forest-shattering lightning finally roars.
'My spear is half a beat faster.'
The half-dragon's eyes tremble as he sees the hatchling shoving itself away to safety.
'I win.'
And in that instant as the heart sword pierces Rain's throat, slicing through flesh and muscle to sever bone.
────?!
Something made Arthur Brius's movement hesitate for a moment.
A sudden influx of flame current blocking his vision for an instant—was it the Beast Slayer?
No, not the Beast Slayer. This is────
────"Dark!"
The holy incantation completes.
Above the barrier, and around the Dragon Slayer, the characters fluttering like embers weave into massive chains.
They bind the Dragon Slayer's body and soul in place, right as he begins his thrusting motion.
Primeval Holy Light, Genesis of Heaven and Earth, the Earth is Void, Boundless Chaos, Abyssal Face of Darkness, Holy Light Spirit moves upon the face of the waters, God said let there be light and there was light, Holy Light beholds the light and calls it good, accomplishes the division of light and dark.
The power of Creation severs the bonds of matter, phenomenon, and soul, reducing the target's power to nothing.
The power to move the body, infinite mana, all matter and phenomenon and soul...
"Disperse into nothingness... Creation!"
Flame chains searing the air constrict the Dragon Slayer's flesh and pierce his soul.
The psalm bearing the story of Genesis metes out punishment to the being who violated creation's providence.
Amid the clear yet lethal melodies flowing from the characters, Arthur Brius—bound there—vomited a final spurt of blood.
Now it's all over.
Yes, now I could finally end this tale.
It should have been.
'Crazy bastard...'
In that moment of shock, that was all Rain could think.
"Me, I... with just this much...!"
Even though his entire body should be bound by the Psalms of Creation, isn't this guy's heart sword aimed at my throat, slowly advancing?
"You thought... it was over...!"
What nonsense is this—even Nariaduk lost that power in one hit.
"I, I...!"
Unlike the abyss, since the spirit orb belongs to light, does its power take longer to reach?
"Until I become... supreme..."
Or is his obsession with the spirit orb—his soul fused with it—refusing to let go, prolonging the dispersal?
"I won't... die...!"
The phase beyond exhaustion ended long ago.
Dangerous.
I barely move my head, angling away from that blade tip's path as far as possible.
"It's already over, you bastard... give up the spirit orb... at least then you can die easy!"
Arthur, his dragonscale helm knocked off, spits bloody spittle at Rain's face.
"Don't talk shit...! Don't spout off easily just 'cause you got the spirit orb...!"
Got it just like that?
Why did I accept it?
No matter how you wrap it, it was for power, right? Isn't it? You just needed power like me...
"In this brutal world... where only the strong... can exist as humans...!"