125
125 ― Torrent of Light
He was freer than anyone else.
To be the freest meant to be the strongest. Since there was no one under the heavens who could oppose him, he was the freest being in the world.
"Today is clear as well."
He enjoyed taking walks.
He didn't walk on foot like earthbound beings, but flew through the air with massive wings. His shadow covered the ground, and the earth's inhabitants always cowered in fear with bowed heads.
It wasn't particularly pleasant in itself, but the fact that they couldn't threaten his freedom was gratifying.
"What a vast world."
There was nothing in this world he didn't know, yet it still felt vast.
Even though he possessed all knowledge and wisdom, and the magic to work miracles, the world was still vast.
That was precisely why he enjoyed taking walks. Even a forest he had always seen looked new when viewed again, and the ever-rippling sea stirred gentle ripples in his heart as well.
A world that never grew tiresome no matter how much he looked.
Comfortable and peaceful. As if someone had prepared it for him, a place completely devoid of suffering.
That was the cage that enveloped him.
***
[ Kraaaaaaah! ]
Jeraxon broke the World Tree's trunk. It was the thickest trunk that had grown by feeding on Jin-woo's Erosion up to this point, yet it broke as easily as a chopstick.
Not stopping there, he trampled the trunk's remains into pieces, burned all the fallen branches, and dragged out the roots hidden in the ground to chew them up.
The destroyed World Tree's power flowed entirely into Jeraxon and was absorbed, but he wasn't pleased with such a thing.
This act of destruction wasn't to gain power, but to express hatred and humiliation.
"Kuk... Why do these dragon fellows always resort to fists fight?"
"It's because you provoked him!"
Dodging Jeraxon's destructive rampage, Kalesian scolded Jin-woo.
From Jin-woo's perspective, he had just carelessly spoken what came to mind, but it seemed to have been a considerably humiliating point for that guy.
Still, he couldn't help but say it. Jin-woo was trying to remember and voice anything that newly surfaced in order to regain his memories.
"What should we do?"
"What do you mean what should we do, kuk, dodge for now!"
One of the World Tree branches that Jeraxon threw came flying toward them. Even though it was called a branch, that single piece was as massive as a centuries-old tree.
Thud! Dodging the pouring debris, Jin-woo glanced up at the sky.
[ ...... ]
Belkarim had leisurely taken position and was observing them. Just moments ago, he had been one corner of a fierce three-way standoff, but now he had become passive.
His attitude was that there was no need to interfere since Jeraxon's attention had turned to start an all-out war with them. Whichever side won, he wouldn't intervene until one side was completely drained.
That meant they had to subdue that rampaging Jeraxon with their strength alone. And they had to do it while saving enough strength to escape from Belkarim.
"Is it possible?"
"Possible or not, we'll die if we don't!"
Kalesian was right. The time to weigh odds and choose actions had passed. Now they could only deal with the crisis that had come upon them.
[ It's useless to hide......!! ]
Jeraxon charged to kill Jin-woo and Kalesian. Considering the size difference between both sides, they would burst like insects if he just stepped on them.
Jin-woo slashed at that foot. He cut through the scales and sliced the flesh, and then Kalesian's breath shot out. His breath couldn't match Jeraxon's power, but it still had enough force to blow away one foot.
[ Kraaaah! ]
With a roar of either pain or rage, magical power swirled. The foot that had just been blown away regenerated in an instant. Jin-woo clashed his sword again, but the newly regenerated scales were harder than before.
Thud―! The ground caved in and rang loudly as if hundreds of tons of iron had fallen. Fortunately, Jin-woo and Kalesian had already moved their bodies away.
Jeraxon tried to chase after them, but roots that had grown at some point bound his body. Despite all the destruction and trampling, it still wasn't dead.
[ Kuk! Let go! ]
Lightning flashed from his scales and burned away all the binding roots.
The remnants of the still-living World Tree tried to restrain him somehow, but it was useless. His rampage continued, and the snowy mountain had already mostly collapsed.
Jin-woo wasn't just standing still either. He timed the rampaging creature's gaps to slash and slash and slash again. But.
'It doesn't cut well.'
It wasn't easy at all.
No matter how much he cut, it recovered quickly. The magical power the creature possessed was nearly infinite, so it wouldn't end with simple attrition warfare. Moreover, the creature's scales became harder each time they were destroyed and regenerated. They were originally hard, but now they were incomparable to the beginning.
Yet these weren't the fundamental reasons why Jin-woo had difficulty cutting. The reason lay elsewhere.
'The sword doesn't even reach that guy's flame.'
What Jin-woo truly aimed for wasn't the scales covering the creature, nor the flesh or organs inside. Those things would heal quickly with magical power anyway.
What Jin-woo aimed for was a wound that couldn't be healed with just magical power. It was to cut away the creature's soul.
'Actually, the wound I inflicted on Earth is still there.'
Jeraxon's flame was massive, but some parts bore traces of being cut. It was the wound left when Jin-woo cut away part of him on Earth.
Despite quite some time having passed since that fight on Earth, the creature's wound showed no signs of healing at all. It had to be so. It was a wound that wouldn't heal unless he reclaimed his lost soul.
For the current Jin-woo, wearing down the creature's endlessly regenerating body was impossible. Even if he reclaimed all the power he had given to the World Tree, it wouldn't match the magical power the creature possessed.
If he could win, there was only one way. He had to cut away the creature's soul with a single stroke.
'But it doesn't reach.'
He didn't mean physical distance. The distance between souls—where the sword would pierce into the creature's soul and sever it—didn't reach.
[ Even if you obtained Rondar's sword, it's useless if you can't wield it! ]
Jeraxon laughed loudly. He mocked Jin-woo's inadequacy and scorned him for wielding an object beyond his means.
There was nothing wrong with the sword. If only the distance could reach, it would surely cut through. Rondar's sword, which had even cut the Red Cliff, would cleanly slice through Jeraxon's soul as well.
Still, seeing that it didn't reach, Jeraxon didn't stop his mockery. In his view, the outcome was already decided.
The opponent's sword couldn't reach him, while his attacks endlessly drove the opponent back. Victory was only a matter of time. Just as he was thinking that.
Scritch―
Part of him was cut away. Just a tiny bit, but it was definitely his soul.
Feeling all the scales on his body bristle, Jeraxon leaped back greatly.
***
At first, he couldn't find the way. Measuring the distance between souls wasn't something that could be done with ordinary senses. For Jin-woo, who was born in the material world and had wielded swords, it was quite difficult to grasp.
But it was fortunate that his opponent was Jeraxon. He had a way to narrow the distance with that creature's soul. More precisely, it was a signpost to avoid getting lost in the complex maze between souls.
He had cut away and kept part of the creature's soul on Earth. And that soul was drawn to the main body's mighty soul, wanting to return.
Then all he had to do was release it and follow behind, swinging his sword.
'Ah, I cut it.'
One success after countless attempts. That was significant. Now it didn't stop at just once.
[ How dare you!! ]
Jeraxon wielded magic. Magic originated from magical power, but when it came to a dragon's magic, it naturally contained the power of the soul as well. He cut that too.
The creature's massive tail charged forth, causing a landslide. The body belonged to the material world, but likewise, dragons were those who maintained and valued the balance of the trinity. That body also contained soul, so he cut that too.
"This... Such a weakness......"
Kalesian was aghast as if it wasn't someone else's problem. Since dragons maintained a balance of body, mind, and soul, when one side was attacked, the others were also in danger.
But there were no creatures in the world that could physically overwhelm a dragon. Likewise, there could be no mind more noble than a dragon's mind. No, even if there were, it would take a divine spirit that had trained for thousands or tens of thousands of years to reach that level.
The soul wasn't much different, so it would never be attacked. Thus, dragons maintaining the balance of the three had no weaknesses and were sufficient to be called the strongest creatures.
Among them, Jin-woo had cut the soul.
[ ......! ]
Jeraxon's eyes flashed open. Until now, he had been able to lose his reason, or rather, abandon his reason and rampage because he had absolute confidence.
Confidence that no matter what happened, he would not die. No matter how much the human before his eyes possessed 'that man's' memories, he was still just a human now. So he thought the human couldn't threaten him.
That premise was broken. In fact, the wound his soul had suffered was very small. To compare it to a bodily wound, it was like accidentally drawing a little blood while removing a hangnail next to a fingernail.
But it was a possibility. It had ended at this level because the sword had grazed past, but what if it had pierced through the center? Even a small wound, if it occurred in the heart, could threaten one's life.
[ The, way...... ]
That's why he came to his senses. That was an even greater humiliation for him. He had entrusted his body to rage and drawn out all his potential, only for it to be forcibly released by his opponent.
That meant his opponent was half a step... No, a full step above him.
'Now's the time.'
Regardless of Jeraxon's bewilderment, Jin-woo didn't miss this opportunity. This moment when the enemy's state had completely changed, when he was most confused, most bewildered, and couldn't get his bearings.
There was no need to run and close the distance. Physical distance and soul distance were separate matters. Although Jin-woo and Jeraxon were somewhat apart, the distance between their two souls was sufficient for the sword to reach.
Jeraxon also didn't bother to close the distance. For him, who was behind in terms of souls, the way to attack Jin-woo was to attack Jin-woo's body, but he had hundreds more means to attack from afar.
Among them, what he chose was breath. For a dragon, the most reliable attack technique in the most difficult moments. Most powerful above all, and a signature technique unique to dragons that other creatures didn't possess.
"Jin-woo! Dodge!!"
Kalesian shouted. He knew the current Jin-woo was remarkable. Finding a way to cut Jeraxon's soul meant he had a grip on the creature's lifeline.
But no matter how great he was, it would be useless if he didn't have a body to wield the sword. Jeraxon's breath was at a level that even bringing Silvern wouldn't be able to handle, let alone himself. If hit by that, even Jin-woo wouldn't be unharmed.
But Jin-woo didn't dodge and raised his sword. His vision was then covered with light.
"Kuk! No......!"
Kalesian blocked in front of him and deployed all his remaining magical power. Hoping that the torrent of light would hesitate even for a single moment.
And his hope was cruelly dashed as light swept across the entire world.