Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 214
Chapter Title: Even If I Lose the Light 9
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Once called the Golden City, the entirety of Bthuma was struck by an earthquake.
An enormous disaster where walls crumbled, buildings shattered, and roads split apart—this force that thoroughly ravaged the Golden City emanated from the Bthuma royal palace, where the sacred throne of Yaegas resided.
And malice surged forth as well. It was no mere natural calamity; an evil power was destroying the city.
Thanks to that, the battle had ground to a halt. The ground had split, cutting off the Senate faction's agents from the Araelle tribe's forces.
“Azadin!”
Araelle called out to Azadin.
“Chase Hatir! Azadin! Hurry and go! And take this!”
Araelle traced a seal in the air with her hand, and copies of the Divine King Scriptures glowing pure white emerged from her body, flying toward Azadin.
The copies gathered in midair and merged back into a single mass of light. It was the core essence of the Divine King Scriptures that Araelle had created based on the originals, meant to purify Bthuma's throne.
As Azadin accepted it, the copies of the Divine King Scriptures were naturally drawn into his body.
“This is…”
“Use it to purify the throne! Hurry!”
“……”
“Go, you idiot!”
The Moon's Indom spewed curses as it cleared a path for Azadin.
*‘Where’s Midiam?’*
Azadin searched for Midiam as he dashed forward.
To Azadin, Midiam had been nothing more than a spoiled noble lady from some family. An annoying, bothersome girl.
But the world has a way of surprising you. The girl who had started as just an irritating child ended up restoring the very voice of conviction that Azadin himself had uttered when he lost his faith.
When Azadin could no longer believe in himself, she had given him back his belief. She was an irreplaceable presence. No matter how chaotic things got, he had to ensure Midiam's safety…
With that single resolve, as he scanned the hellish battlefield, he spotted Ismael.
Ismael was holding the unconscious Midiam from behind and mouthed silently to Azadin.
*‘Go.’*
Seeing the shape of his lips, Azadin nodded.
*********
Unspeakable horrors prowled before Bthuma's royal palace.
As the Nether's domain fused with reality, nightmarish events unfolded. The realm of the Storm King that the nagas had tried to summon merged with the real world, turning the surroundings into something that was both land and underwater.
Things not yet attuned to the physical dimension swam through the air.
From shark-like swarms to whirlpools sprouting everywhere, manifesting as gusts in the physical realm.
Azadin dodged such things as he headed for the palace.
Aragasas awaited Azadin in the palace.
“Azadin of No Mercy! Just like your father, do you intend to shatter the clan's aspirations?!”
“If this is what you call aspirations, I'll gladly destroy them!”
“You bastard!”
Arrows flew toward him. Azadin gripped the Azure Executioner short like a tonfa in his right hand and floated Grimsrown's club in his left, swinging both arms wide.
Azure light burst from the Azure Executioner, and amber glows from Grimsrown's club, forming a barrier of light before Azadin that deflected the incoming arrows.
Azadin possessed dozens of Divine King Scripture copies—over a hundred including those Araelle had gathered. The mana filling his body was immense; even a casual swing of his arms unleashed tremendous power.
“You!”
“No time, so I can't hold back—if you don't want to die, get out of my way!”
“Don't make me laugh! You alone?!”
A herald of the Five Great Bloodlines ignored Azadin's warning and charged.
*-Firebird Windmoon Barrage!*
The herald unleashed a flurry of magic bullets while swinging a longsword at Azadin's temple.
But Azadin spun Grimsrown's club in the air like a shield to block the barrage and thrust out his bare fist. A shockwave tore through the air from his fist, striking the herald's torso.
In that instant, a horrific sound echoed, like lightning striking a dry dead tree.
*-Crack!*
With a thunderous boom, the man literally split apart.
“……”
Even Azadin hadn't anticipated this outcome.
He'd aimed to subdue without killing, but the power had exceeded expectations.
Despite this gruesome result, more aragasas charged in.
“Please! Move aside!”
Their skills were too formidable to dodge past.
And rightly so. These were the ones Hatir had stationed to guard the palace—elite heralds whom Azadin would normally struggle against.
But now, Azadin's body brimmed with the power of the Divine King Scriptures. Reflexively swinging the Azure Executioner, a blue sword beam slashed the air, cleaving everything in its path.
The lower body, deprived of its upper half, staggered forward before collapsing.
“Huh.”
The aragasas couldn't comprehend what had just happened before their eyes.
These were high-ranking heralds, members of the Five Great Bloodlines, reduced to one strike from Azadin, once called the clan's greatest failure.
Was that truly human power? The horrifying sight sapped their will to fight.
“Move. Please.”
Even Azadin's expression, having slain them, wasn't bright.
Though they despised him, they were kin. He didn't want to kill them if possible, but their skill made ignoring them impossible—and touching them meant death.
He tried to persuade them, but as he opened his mouth, the sticky scent of blood filled it. Fresh blood surged from Azadin's nose and mouth.
The influx of Divine King Scripture power was good, but his body couldn't withstand it.
“That guy's at his limit!”
“He's hogged the Divine King Scriptures! Arrogant fool!”
“He won't last!”
Seeing this, the aragasas misinterpreted why Azadin was telling them to move.
“You idiots!”
Furious at his kin blocking his path, Azadin regripped the Azure Executioner.
The desperate struggle began.
*********
“Hah… hah…”
Azadin steadied his ragged breathing. The nosebleed made it hard to breathe through his nose.
Blood flowed from his mouth too, like uncontrollable saliva through the mucous membranes. His entire body felt like it would shatter.
Azadin yanked out an arrow embedded in his body and tossed it aside.
Green mana swirled around him, healing his wounds. The spell Shati had cast before leaving was regenerating his body.
But even that magic couldn't erase the physical pain. No, the pain of the body paled compared to the agony in his heart.
*‘The aragasas are finished.’*
Azadin gazed at the corpses of his kin scattered around.
He had killed them. The clan's talents, key figures, prodigies, and loyal servants—all who stood in his way.
His body felt as heavy as gold, and his heart even heavier.
*‘Do I really… have to go this far?’*
The slain kin's accusations echoed in his ears as they blocked him.
Traitor, rebel, clan disaster, cursed one.
All true.
Was it worth pushing his convictions through by slaughtering his kin?
If only he'd had a bit more influence in the clan, could there have been a different outcome?
*‘But… if I stop now…’*
Azadin entered the chamber of the jade throne where Golden King Manja-Zadek had resided.
Hatir sat upon the quartz throne, and before him… Aldis gripped a longspear, awaiting Azadin.
“……”
Azadin wasn't surprised. He'd half-expected this.
If Hatir had vacated the throne, Aldis must have been managing it in the interim.
Even with the clan's many talents, few possessed magical prowess rivaling a Divine King.
Only Aldis, Araelle, and Hatir—her presence here was entirely predictable.
“Azadin.”
Unlike the composed Azadin, Aldis looked shocked.
“What have you done!? Azadin! Don't tell me…”
Aldis gasped at the sight beyond the open jade throne chamber: countless corpses. The intruder who had massacred the clan horrified her.
“You killed all these people—your own kin?”
“Yes.”
“Wh-why?”
“To stop the descent of Nether's emissary.”
Azadin took a staggering step forward, panting. The startled Aldis stepped back.
“Why the clan?”
“I didn't want to kill them. But they staked their lives to block me… No, before that, Aldis. Did you approve of this?”
As Azadin pressed Aldis, the hitherto silent Hatir spoke.
“No need for more words, Aldis! That grimoire he holds is a wicked tome meant to turn Araelle and Azadin into new gods! He's slaughtered his way here for their selfish ambitions!”
Hatir declared this and ordered Aldis to execute Azadin.
“The Emperor's magic won't work on him! Be careful!”
“You might as well explain why it doesn't work!”
Azadin raged.
In truth, it was all Hatir's fault. The clan leader, in the perfect position to guide them rightly, had led them astray, causing this tragedy.
Why had Kazas loved such a creature, unable to resist and dragged along? Why weigh himself against that scum and tip the scales?
As Azadin glared at Hatir with enmity, Aldis's spear sliced the air.
“Enough! Azadin! Drop your weapon now!”
“……”
“Please, Azadin. I don't want to hurt you. But…”
“If we let Leader Hatir have his way, Nether's emissary will descend upon the world. Aldis! You're not a fool—you know that!”
Azadin literally spat blood as he shouted.
“The Emperor's voice dismissed every herald except me! We must stop Hatir's plan! But…”
“This is the path the entire clan chose! Vengeance and dominion over this world! Yet you alone reject it, wielding Araelle's filthy grimoire and claiming you're right!”
“Azadin.”
Aldis looked at him with a troubled expression.
That warm, compassionate gaze had always saved him. Now, it was pure torment.
“Please, just overlook it this once, Azadin? I… think you're right. But I understand the clan's pain and aspirations too. And above all, Father…”
“……”
For Aldis, she couldn't betray her father, Hatir.
Hearing her words shook Azadin's resolve.
He'd killed his way here. To see his will through, he'd have to kill more—including Aldis.
Could he do that?
Aldis had been his light. Did he have to kill her to walk this path?
Yet.
*-Rumble!*
As if urging a decision, another earthquake shook the world.