Book 1 Chapter 301

301

*Thwip-!*

A chilling sound, splitting the air, rang out.

Driana's body stiffened at the sword aimed at her neck.

'I can't stop this!'

Driana was a Smith, but before that, she was also an excellent warrior and a hero candidate.

Until now, she had faithfully played the role of the group's shield, standing at the forefront.

She had been cut by the monster's sword in front of her countless times, but she endured and steadfastly held her ground.

However, her warrior's instinct was now clearly telling her.

That this attack would kill her.

But it was too late to avoid it.

The moment she thought that.

*Clang-!*

A faint silver armor blocked the sword.

Aeran, clad in Animus armor, had stepped in front of Driana.

"…Beautiful."

Forgetting the situation, Driana marveled.

In the meantime, Ar's kick plunged towards the Erebus Phantom.

*Kwagagagagagang-!*

*Thud-!*

With an enormous shockwave, the Erebus Phantom's foot deeply *thudded* into the ground.

But that was it.

There was no further impact.

Ar's face hardened.

"This doesn't work either…!"

Ar, looking anxious, quickly put distance between himself and the Erebus Phantom.

At that moment, Belkia, also clad in Animus armor like Aeran, plunged into the Erebus Phantom's embrace.

A powerful spell engulfed Belkia, but Belkia, breaking through the magic with the power of the armor, swung her sword.

*Clang-!*

The Erebus Phantom blocked Belkia's attack.

"It's exactly like Master Kayle's movements!"

Belkia gritted her teeth.

It was then.

"Now! Everyone fall back!"

Simultaneously with Kayle's shout, the four people who had been blocking the Erebus Phantom moved away.

*Whoosh-!*

Crimson Phoenix flames raged.

*Boom-! Quoogoo-!*

A colossal magical inferno surged.

*Hiss-!*

Even though they were far away, the vanguards swallowed hard at the heat that felt like it would cook their flesh.

Kayle gritted his teeth, watching them.

"Please. Fall."

Kayle's desperate whisper.

Not just Kayle, but all party members felt the same way.

Under Kayle's command, they had successfully launched several attacks on the monster in front of them.

But each time, the Erebus Phantom revived intact.

And each time, it exerted even greater power.

Now, merely enduring was a struggle for the vanguards.

Lunia gritted her teeth.

'If it doesn't fall here… what else can we possibly do?'

Lunia's entire body was burned.

It was the price for pushing her firepower beyond its limits.

*Whoosh-!*

Black flames soared.

Everyone wore despairing expressions, seeing the Erebus Phantom revive in an even clearer form.

*Swoosh-!*

Then, the Erebus Phantom reached out its hand.

*Woong-!*

Instantly, a magic circle was embroidered in the air.

Star magic.

In an instant.

Lunia's face turned pale.

"Everyone, get away!"

*Woosh-!*

A black sphere of despairing light formed on the Erebus Phantom's hand.

Lunia precisely discerned what it was.

"It's the End!"

*Flash-!*

The light of destruction scattered in all directions.

There wasn't even a sound.

The light of the End evaporated everything.

Amidst that…

"Be-Belkia-nim…"

Aeran, with a pale face, looked up at Belkia, who was looking down at her.

"Are you alright?"

Belkia asked with her characteristic expressionless face.

"I, I'm… fine, but… Belkia-nim…"

"…It hurts."

Belkia collapsed to her knees with a *thud*.

"Why, why me…?"

Aeran, looking like she was about to cry, frantically examined Belkia's wounds.

"Well… why do you think?"

Belkia smiled faintly and caressed Aeran's cheek.

"Perhaps because you're my bloodline?"

"H-How did you know that…?"

Aeran was startled.

"I was certain when I used Animus Armor, my unique magic."

Belkia smiled faintly.

"I thought, 'She's… my descendant.'"

"Ah… ah…"

"An adult saving a child… is natural, Master Kayle… said so. So I saved you."

Belkia's voice grew faint.

"Belkia-nim…"

"Aeran."

"Yes?"

"My trump card magic… should I tell you?"

Belkia smiled benevolently.

That smile was identical to the one recorded in the texts Aeran knew.

"Hey… you stupid cat."

Lunia's voice trembled.

"Why didn't you dodge and save me?"

"The only one who can still deal damage to that damned black flame… is you."

Lunia gritted her teeth, looking at Ar, who had covered her.

"Fortunately, our leader seems to have been saved by that perverted dwarf… Now, let's gather our strength… and take down that fake black rabbit…"

Ar tried to get up but collapsed.

Lunia quickly supported Ar.

And looked around.

Kayle was frantically giving Driana first aid with a potion.

Aeran was frantically supporting Belkia.

*Thump-thump-*

The Erebus Phantom approached.

Seeing that, Lunia got up.

'I have to fight.'

Lunia gritted her teeth and moved forward.

'Leo… he wouldn't have given up and would have fought.'

As Lunia recalled the boy she had fought with countless times and was about to conjure flames,

"You're quite persistent."

A voice came from behind.

Lunia flinched and turned her head.

There, an arrogant woman draped in white flames floated in the air, legs crossed.

"Kata… Liu-nim."

"Lunia El Rundia."

Kariu smiled faintly.

"What do you think is the essence of flame?"

At Kariu's question, Lunia gazed at the black flame.

An eternally burning flame that reduces everything to ashes.

Is that the essence of flame?

'No.'

Dwyne said the essence of flame was creation.

'The essence of flame… differs from person to person.'

There is no single correct answer.

Therefore.

For Lunia, who had yearned for the Phoenix for a long time, the essence of flame was only one.

"Purification."

The Phoenix's flame endlessly burns itself.

The reason the Phoenix's flame feels eternally immortal is due to its mighty vitality.

Phoenixes, originally promised a time close to eternal life, burn their own lives to ignite their flames.

There is only one reason they burn their lives.

To burn and purify evil things.

Kariu smiled broadly at Lunia's answer.

"Do you know, Lunia? A king's lineage, you see. It's not inherited through blood."

"What?"

"The Phoenix chosen by the previous king, symbolizing purification, inherits the white flame and becomes the Flame Emperor."

*Whoosh-!*

Kariu thrust a white flame in front of Lunia's nose.

"The blood of a Phoenix flows in your body."

"…"

"Want to try it?"

Lunia looked at Kariu.

"It will be different from Dwyne's essence of flame, though. If you fail to accept it, you will die. Because you are not a pure Phoenix."

"Do I have a choice?"

Lunia swallowed Kariu's flame without hesitation.

*Whoosh-!*

Pure white flames erupted from Lunia's body.

***

Dwyne's face hardened as he fended off the berserk Gias.

'This is…'

*Whoosh-!*

Black flames erupted from Gias's body.

'Erebus's flame!'

Golden flames surged from Dwyne's body.

*Kwagagagagagang-!*

The black flames swallowed Dwyne's golden flames.

And even burned Dwyne.

At that moment-

*Flash-! Kwagagagagagang!*

Yormungand's Corpse Sword was swung to cleave Dwyne.

*Thwack-!*

Dwyne barely blocked the Corpse Sword's slash with his battle-axe.

'Has he… grown stronger!'

Dwyne gritted his teeth and endured.

*Crack-crack-crack-!*

"…!"

Suddenly, a crack appeared in the battle-axe.

*Boom-!*

No longer able to withstand, Dwyne was sent flying.

*Kwagagagang-!*

As if a meteor had struck-

Dwyne's body, which had created a giant crater, was deeply embedded in the ground.

"Cough!"

Dwyne spat blood.

He barely shook off the black flames.

But his body had taken a severe blow.

*Thump-! Thump-!*

Gias walked towards Dwyne.

-You're a mess.

Gias scoffed at Dwyne.

"You don't seem to be in proper shape yourself, do you?"

Dwyne used his battle-axe as a handle to get up.

*Snap-!*

A tooth chipped from the axe blade and fell to the ground.

It looked like it would break any moment.

Just like Dwyne's weapon, Gias's body was also ragged.

His berserk state had subsided, and his immense regenerative power couldn't keep up with the injuries.

He had exhausted all his strength with the all-out attack just a moment ago.

-Hmph. But unlike you, I have the grace of God.

*Whoosh-!*

The black flames burning on Gias's body grew stronger.

-And! In the end, I won!

"I'm not dead yet, am I?"

Dwyne smiled calmly.

"Until my last breath, you cannot say you've defeated me."

-Kukuku… Kukukukuku. Hahahahahahaha!

Gias burst into laughter at Dwyne's words.

-You seem to be seriously mistaken about something, Dwyne. I didn't come to end your pathetic life.

*Clench-!*

Gias re-gripped Yormungand's Corpse Sword.

-It is important that I! Gias's creation! Has broken your crude and shoddy weapons!

Gias stared at Dwyne with emotionless eyes.

-Your life, which met a dog's death long ago, is worthless. If I, Gias, the Giant King, live in the present and am destined to destroy the world according to God's will!

*Thump-!*

-You are nothing but a phantom of the past. Whether you die or live here, you will not affect the future in any way. Because you are nothing but a false illusion.

"I'm… fake?"

Dwyne's face hardened.

Seeing his face, Gias smiled deeply.

-Hmm, yes. A mere fake, but an illusion close to real. I wonder what expression you'll make when you hear how your end came to be.

Gias chuckled.

-The first among you to die was Arion. He offered himself as your shield in your stead and died by God's judgment. Believing in that paltry sword you gave him until the very end. Kukukuku. You all talk about that death as if it were a noble sacrifice… but he merely feared the fight with the great God and fled to his death.

Gias looked down at Dwyne, whose face had lost all expression.

Elation surfaced on Gias's face.

-The second to die was you, Dwyne. Foolishly challenging God's flame, you couldn't even properly play the shield's role and burned to death!

Dwyne's body trembled.

-Next was the vulgar elf wench, Luna. She spammed her boasted magic and died of magic exhaustion! She must have despaired! At her own incompetence, being unable to do anything!

*Squeeze-!*

Dwyne's hand tightened.

-The fourth to die was the lizard who foolishly thought to resist God! It's enjoyable just thinking about it! I can clearly picture her face as she died chasing an empty dream she could never achieve! Hahahahahahaha!

Dwyne bowed his head.

He then took a deep breath and raised his head.

"And Kayle?"

-What…?

"I asked how Kayle died."

Dwyne was smiling.

Gias's face twisted as he saw Dwyne asking about Kayle's death.

"Allow me to correct you."

The expression vanished from Dwyne's face.

"Arion, that fool didn't offer himself as a shield in my place because he was afraid of fighting Erebus. It's because he was more afraid of us dying than himself dying."

Dwyne's face darkened.

"Because that fool is that kind of guy."

Dwyne, biting his lip tightly, continued.

"I don't think Luna would have despaired. That friend is also a fool. She would have believed in a bright future without a doubt."

*Whoosh-!*

Golden flames surged from Dwyne's body.

"Lycina, that friend must have worn a sad expression."

Dwyne wore a bitter expression.

"After all, she would have been left alone."

Then Dwyne smiled faintly.

"I have nothing to say about the fool who died a dog's death without even being able to play the shield's role."

Dwyne was smiling.

Like seeing a bright sun.

"What's important is this. Not one of us would have despaired, Giant King Gias."

*Whoosh-!*

Dwyne's body blazed like a bright sun.

"Because we knew there was one fool who would never give up. We would have trusted that friend without a doubt."

-You bastard…!

"We would have only resented ourselves! Our own limitations that forced us to pass on the burden!"

*GooOOOOOO-!*

Dwyne's battle-axe exuded powerful energy.

"I ask you again, Giant King Gias!"

*Swish-!*

Dwyne lowered his stance.

"The surviving hero… what was Kayle's end?!"

-Kwoooooooo!

"You tried to mock me with your paltry tongue, but it was useless! Your mockery is the greatest hope for me! In the end, we!"

*Bang-bang-bang-bang-!*

Gias roared and charged to finish off Dwyne.

As if he could no longer tolerate Dwyne's words.

Half-crazed, he raised his boasted Corpse Sword and charged.

"Doesn't that mean we saved the world?!"

-Shut up! You mere phantom of the past!

*Crash-!*

The Corpse Sword and Dwyne's battle-axe clashed.

The colossal Corpse Sword bared its teeth to shatter the battle-axe.

The crack on the battle-axe spread across its entire surface.

"Hmph!"

Dwyne put strength into the raised battle-axe and shouted.

"If you are a weapon made for fighting!"

As Dwyne roared, the battle-axe let out a resonant sound as if responding to his call.

"Fulfill your purpose! I am here to annihilate Tartaros!"

Dwyne's eyes glinted.

"I created you!"

*Crack-!*

-Ngh!

Gias's eyes widened.

Cracks began to appear on the Corpse Sword.

*Crunch-!*

-Impossible!

*Thwack-!*

-Gah!

Dwyne's body shot into the sky.

Dwyne's nameless battle-axe, now ragged and having split the Corpse Sword in half, radiated a golden light.

Dwyne, the God's Blacksmith.

His weapon, imbued with his will, shone brightly without breaking.

Dwyne, who had ascended above Gias's head, smiled chillingly.

"I don't know how much time has passed since I died, but."

*Swoosh-! Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-!*

A colossal golden axe blade formed.

"You've been defeated by a mere phantom."

-DWYNEOOOOOOOOOOOO!

*Thwock-!*

Dwyne's axe severed Gias's neck.