Chapter 301
Swoosh—!
A chilling sound sliced through the air.
Driana froze as the blade aimed for her neck.
‘I can’t block this!’
Though she was a Smith, Driana was also an exceptional warrior as a Hero Candidate.
Until now, she had stood at the front lines, faithfully serving as the shield of her team.
She had been struck numerous times by the monster’s blade before her eyes, yet endured it all and stood firm.
But now, her warrior’s instinct spoke clearly.
This attack would kill her.
And it was too late to dodge.
The moment she thought that—
Clang—!
A gleaming silver armor blocked the sword.
It was Eiran, clad in the Armor of Animus, who had stepped in front of Driana.
“……Beautiful.”
Forgetting the situation, Driana couldn’t help but whisper in awe.
Meanwhile, Ar’s kick crashed down upon Erebos’s Thought Projection.
Kwagagagagang—!
Thud—!
A tremendous shockwave struck as Erebos’s projection’s feet sank deep into the ground.
But that was all.
No further damage followed.
Ar’s face stiffened.
“Even this doesn’t work…!”
With a tense expression, Ar quickly widened the distance from Erebos’s projection.
At that moment, Velkia, also armed with the Armor of Animus alongside Eiran, charged straight into Erebos’s chest.
Powerful magic surged toward Velkia, but she broke through it head-on with the armor’s strength and swung her sword.
Clang—!
Erebos’s projection blocked Velkia’s strike.
“That’s exactly how Master Kyle moves!”
Velkia gritted her teeth.
Then—
“Now! Everyone, fall back!”
At Carr’s shout, the four who were holding Erebos’s projection immediately retreated.
Fwoosh—!
Crimson Phoenix flames erupted wildly.
Boom! Rumbleee—!
A massive burst of magical fire swept through the area.
Sssssss—!
Even from afar, the heat was so intense it felt like their skin would melt.
Seeing that, Carr clenched his teeth.
“Please… fall.”
His desperate murmur echoed.
It wasn’t just Carr—everyone felt the same.
Under his command, they had landed several successful hits on the monster before them.
But every time, Erebos’s Thought Projection revived unscathed.
And each time, it became even stronger.
Now, even holding the front line was nearly impossible.
Lunia gritted her teeth.
‘If we can’t stop it here… what more can we possibly do?’
Her body was covered in burns—
the cost of pushing her firepower beyond its limit.
Fwoosh—!
Black flames surged.
Seeing Erebos’s Thought Projection revived in its most vivid form yet, despair clouded everyone’s faces.
Ssh—!
Erebos’s projection extended its hand.
Voom—!
A magic circle unfolded in the air.
Star Magic.
For an instant, Lunia’s face went pale.
“Everyone, move!”
Whoosh—!
A black sphere of despairing light formed in Erebos’s hand.
Lunia instantly recognized what it was.
“[The End]!”
Flash—!
The light of annihilation spread in all directions.
There was no sound.
The light of the end vaporized everything it touched.
Amidst it all—
“V-Velkia…”
Eiran looked up with a pale face at Velkia standing above her.
“Are you all right?”
Velkia asked in her usual emotionless tone.
“I-I’m fine… but you…”
“It hurts.”
Velkia fell to her knees.
“Why… why did you protect me…?”
Eiran frantically examined her wounds, nearly in tears.
“Well… why do you think?”
Velkia smiled faintly and gently brushed Eiran’s cheek.
“Maybe because you’re my blood.”
“H-how did you…?”
Eiran’s eyes widened in shock.
“When I used my Original Magic, the Armor of Animus, I was sure of it.”
Velkia’s lips curved faintly.
“You’re my descendant.”
“Ah… ah…”
“An adult saving a child… that’s only natural… Master Kyle once told me that. That’s why I saved you.”
Velkia’s voice grew faint.
“Velkia…”
“Eiran.”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to know a secret spell?”
Velkia smiled kindly.
It was the same gentle smile recorded in ancient texts.
“Hey… you dumb cat.”
Lunia’s trembling voice broke through.
“Why didn’t you dodge?”
“You’re the only one who can hurt that damned black flame…”
Lunia gritted her teeth, glancing at Ar, who had shielded her.
“Good thing our leader got saved by that perverted Dwarf… Now, pull yourself together and let’s finish off that fake black rabbit…”
Ar tried to stand but collapsed again.
Lunia quickly caught her and looked around.
Carr was urgently giving Driana first aid with a potion.
Eiran was desperately supporting Velkia.
Step, step—
Erebos’s projection approached.
Seeing that, Lunia rose to her feet.
‘I have to fight.’
She clenched her teeth and stepped forward.
‘If it were Leo… he wouldn’t give up.’
As she recalled the boy she had fought beside countless times, flames began to gather in her hand—
“You’re quite persistent.”
A voice came from behind her.
Lunia flinched and turned her head.
There floated an arrogant woman wreathed in white fire, legs crossed in midair.
“Katariu…”
“Lunia El Lunda.”
Katariu smiled faintly.
“What do you think is the true nature of flame?”
At her question, Lunia looked toward the black fire.
A fire that turned everything to ash, burning eternally.
Was that its true nature?
‘No.’
Dweno once said the essence of flame was creation.
‘The essence of fire… changes depending on the person.’
There was no single answer.
For Lunia, who had long yearned for the Phoenix, the essence of flame could only mean one thing.
“Purification.”
The Phoenix’s flame endlessly burns itself away.
What makes it appear eternal is its immense life force.
Though granted a lifespan close to immortality, the Phoenix willingly burns its own life to ignite its flame.
They burn themselves for one reason—
to burn away and purify all evil.
Hearing Lunia’s answer, Katariu smiled broadly.
“Do you know, Lunia? The bloodline of kings isn’t passed down through lineage.”
“What?”
“The Phoenix chosen by the previous Flame Emperor inherits the white flame of purification.”
Fwoosh—
Katariu thrust the white flame toward Lunia’s face.
“Your body carries the blood of the Phoenix.”
“……”
“Would you like to taste it?”
Lunia met her gaze.
“But it’s not the same as Dweno’s Flame Essence. If you fail to accept it, you’ll die. You’re not a pure Phoenix.”
“Do I have a choice?”
Without hesitation, Lunia swallowed Katariu’s flame.
Fwoosh—
Pure white fire erupted from her body.
—
As he fought to stop the berserk Gias, Dweno’s face hardened.
‘This is…’
Fwoosh—!
Black flames burst from Gias’s body.
‘Erebos’s flame!’
Golden fire roared from Dweno in response.
Kwagagagang—!
But the black flames swallowed his.
And then they burned even him.
In that instant—
Flash—! Kwagagagagang!
The Corpse Blade of Jormungand swung to cut him down.
Slash—!
Dweno barely blocked the strike with his battle axe.
‘He’s gotten… even stronger!’
He gritted his teeth and held on.
Crack—!
“……!”
A fissure ran along the axe’s edge.
Boom—!
Unable to withstand it, Dweno was flung back.
Crash—!
Like a meteor striking the ground, his body carved a massive crater.
“Cough!”
Dweno spat blood, barely shaking off the black flames.
But his body was heavily damaged.
Thud—! Thud—!
Gias strode toward him.
—Pathetic sight.
Gias sneered down at him.
“You don’t look so great yourself.”
Using his axe as a crutch, Dweno stood.
Crack—!
A piece of the axe head broke off and hit the ground.
It looked ready to shatter at any moment.
Just like his weapon, Gias’s body was tattered.
His Berserker state had faded, and his immense regeneration couldn’t keep up with his wounds.
He had exhausted all his strength in that last desperate attack.
—Heh. But unlike you, I still bear the blessing of the gods.
Fwoosh—!
The black flames around Gias flared even stronger.
—And in the end, I have won!
“I’m not dead yet.”
Dweno smiled firmly.
“As long as I draw breath, you can’t say you’ve won.”
—Kehahaha…! Hahahahaha!
Gias roared with laughter.
—You’re mistaken, Dweno. I didn’t come to slay your worthless life.
Clank—!
He adjusted his grip on the Corpse Blade.
—I came to prove that my creation has surpassed the pitiful weapons you forged!
He looked down at Dweno with lifeless eyes.
—Your life, long since lost to time, means nothing. I, Giant King Gias, was born to destroy the world under the will of the gods!
Thud—!
—While you are nothing but a ghost of the past. Whether you die here or not, you’ll change nothing—because you’re just a false illusion.
“I’m… fake?”
Dweno’s face hardened.
Seeing that, Gias smirked.
—Yes. A mere imitation, but one close to real. I wonder how you’ll react when I tell you how your comrades met their end.
He chuckled darkly.
—The first to die was Arron. He tried to shield you and perished under divine judgment. Clinging to that pathetic sword you made for him until the end. Hahaha. You fools call it a noble sacrifice—but he only ran from his fear of fighting a god!
He stared down at Dweno, who had gone silent.
—The second to die was you, Dweno. Foolishly challenging the divine flame, you burned to death before even serving as a proper shield!
Dweno’s body trembled.
—Next was that foul-mouthed elf, Luna. She exhausted her magic and died! She must’ve despaired, realizing her helplessness!
Grip—!
Dweno’s hand tightened around his axe.
—The fourth was that foolish dragon who thought to defy the gods! Just imagining her dying face brings me joy!
Dweno lowered his head.
Then, after a deep breath, he raised it again.
“What about Kyle?”
—What?
“How did Kyle die?”
Dweno was smiling.
Gias scowled at the question.
“Let me correct you.”
Dweno’s smile faded.
“Arron didn’t take my place out of fear. He feared our deaths more than his own.”
His expression darkened.
“That fool was just that kind of person.”
He bit his lip and continued.
“Luna didn’t despair either. She was a fool too—she never stopped believing in a brighter future.”
Fwoosh—
Golden flames erupted around him.
“Lysinas… she probably looked sad.”
Dweno smiled faintly.
“Because she must’ve been the last dragon left.”
Then he grinned.
“As for the fool who couldn’t even die properly as a shield—he has no excuse.”
He laughed.
Like he was looking at the sun itself.
“What matters, Giant King Gias, is that none of us despaired.”
Fwoosh—
Dweno’s body blazed like a radiant sun.
“Because we all knew one thing—there was one fool who would never give up. We believed in him.”
—You…!
“He probably blamed himself! For being the one forced to carry everything alone!”
Wooooh—!
Dweno’s battle axe roared with power.
“Answer me again, Giant King Gias!”
Slash—!
He crouched low, ready to strike.
“What was the end of the surviving hero—Kyle!”
—Graaahhhh!
“You meant to taunt me, but too bad! Your words have only given me hope! Because we—!”
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Gias roared and charged, desperate to silence him.
Raising the Corpse Blade high, he lunged.
“We saved the world, didn’t we!”
—Silence, ghost of the past!
Clang—!
The Corpse Blade and battle axe collided.
The immense sword bared its fangs to crush the axe.
Cracks spread across its entire surface.
“Hrgh!”
Dweno shouted as he poured strength into the raised axe.
“If you were forged for battle…”
The axe resonated with his words.
“Then fulfill your purpose! I forged you to destroy Tartarus!”
Dweno’s eyes gleamed.
“I created you for this!”
Crack—!
—What!
Crack!
—Kuh!
Dweno’s body shot upward.
His battered, nameless battle axe gleamed with golden light as it split the Corpse Blade clean in two.
Dweno, the Divine Blacksmith, shone with the brilliance of his will.
Hovering above Gias’s head, he smiled coldly.
“I don’t know how much time has passed since my death…”
Swoosh—! Fwooooosh—!
A massive golden axe blade formed in the air.
“But you just lost to a mere phantom.” (T//N: BURNNNNNNNNN!!!! Literally! LOL)
—DwenoOOOOOOOO!
Slash—!
Dweno’s axe severed Gias’s head clean off.