Chapter 1066
“H-h-how are you here….”
Martha opened and closed her eyes, thinking she was dreaming. But Rimmer did not disappear. Instead, his smile only deepened.
“I couldn’t miss the moment the White Blood Lord got the absolute crap beaten out of her! A once-in-a-lifetime spectacle! And besides….”
Rimmer clenched his fist, then looked at her with calm eyes.
“This is your business. I’d crawl up even from hell.”
He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world as he gently took hold of her shoulder.
“You’re still the same, Master….”
Martha’s eyes reddened as she looked at Rimmer. Her teacher, overflowing with childish mischief yet serious when it mattered, had not changed at all.
“Master?”
Rimmer tilted his head.
“I like being called Master, but… wasn’t I the Vice Division Leader before I died? I got demoted after getting trounced by Raon.”
He laughed breezily, saying that Raon had taken his position. His boyish smile was still the same.
“Well, never mind me. I’m already dead anyway.”
Rimmer tightened his grip on her shoulder.
“You succeeded in the end.”
He slowly looked over her Sword Field Creation, formed from a sea of blood.
“I knew you’d be the first to complete a Sword Field.”
Rimmer nodded as if he had truly believed it all along.
“Ugh….”
Martha lowered her trembling head, hiding her expression. Hearing Rimmer’s sincere praise, the tears she had been holding back finally fell and dampened the sea of blood.
Just a little, but the crimson blood seemed to grow lighter.
“Of course, I didn’t expect you’d make such a brutal Sword Field! But it suits the name Miss Rakshasa!”
Rimmer grinned, saying that Miss Rakshasa ought to make something like this. Seeing his refreshing smile, the fatigue and pain she had endured until now seemed to vanish, and vitality bloomed in her soul.
“U-um….”
“I’d like to talk more too, but we’ve got something to do first, right?”
Rimmer cut her off and pointed at the White Blood Lord, who was being swallowed by the Vengeful Spirits.
“Those Vengeful Spirits can use their original power here thanks to Raon’s support. However….”
He furrowed his brow slightly as he continued.
“They can torment the White Blood Lord and weaken her, but they can’t kill her completely.”
Rimmer picked up the sword that had fallen into the sea of blood and handed it to her.
“You have to finish it.”
Saying he would help with the final battle, he summoned the Wooden Wheel Sword into the air.
Whoooosh!
The leaf sword suited Raon well too, but it still shone brightest in Rimmer’s hand.
“I understand.”
Martha nodded, using formal speech with Rimmer for the first time.
“Master.”
She raised her sword and spoke the title she had wanted to call him all along but never could.
“O-oh, it’s shriveling! My fingers are curling!”
Rimmer screamed and bent all ten fingers like squid tentacles.
“You damn master!”
Martha couldn’t hold back and kicked Rimmer in the butt.
“I worked up so much courage for that!”
Just having Rimmer beside her made the tension disappear and her fighting spirit surge. She truly felt as if the spiritual pillar of the Light Wind Palace had returned.
“Master, huh… Not bad.”
Rimmer shook his hand seriously, as if it had all been a joke.
“You’re coming too, right, secretive father?”
He jerked his chin toward Denier as if asking whether he could fight.
“Of course….”
Denier let out a thin breath and forced strength into his trembling arms and legs.
Seeing a green wind bloom behind his back, it seemed Rimmer had lent him a hand.
“Let’s go.”
The moment Rimmer spoke in a low voice, Martha and Denier kicked off the sea of blood at the same time.
“You bastards!”
The White Blood Lord tried to push back both the Vengeful Spirits and Rimmer at once by detonating what remained of her Soul Rank and Blood Energy.
But the obsession and vengeance of the souls who held grudges against the White Blood Cult far exceeded her expectations.
Grrrrrr!
As if they didn’t care whether they disappeared into the Blood Energy, the Vengeful Spirits surged in even more madly and tore away the White Blood Lord’s flesh.
“Gyaaaaaah!”
The White Blood Lord could only drive the Vengeful Spirits back, lowering the hand and Blood Energy she had prepared for a counterattack.
“Now!”
At Rimmer’s shout, three blades infused with pale green wind descended on the White Blood Lord.
Swoooosh!
Rimmer’s nimble Sword Strike split the White Blood Lord’s waist horizontally, and Denier’s sharp blade tore out her heart.
Splaaaat!
Finally, Martha’s outstretched Tyrant Sun Sword pierced through the roughly spreading Blood Energy and severed the White Blood Lord’s neck.
“Ah…!”
The moment the White Blood Lord’s physical body fell into the sea of blood in three pieces, the Vengeful Spirits descended again and began shredding her soul strand by strand.
“Kyaaaaaah!”
The White Blood Lord screamed as if her tongue would burst, seemingly too drained to resist any longer.
Grrrrrr!
As if to satisfy their endless vengeance and hunger, the Vengeful Spirits listened to the White Blood Lord’s screams and chewed up and swallowed her entire soul.
It looked like piranhas devouring a human corpse without leaving behind even a single bone fragment.
“…….”
“Haa….”
Holding her mother’s soul, Martha watched the White Blood Lord’s screams and agony without blinking, while Denier closed his eyes as if he could not bear to look.
“Now that’s a nice sight!”
Rimmer lay back on the sea of blood and let out a refreshing laugh.
“This is how a revenge story should end!”
He nodded in satisfaction and took a swig from a liquor bottle that had appeared out of nowhere.
“What about you? Satisfied?”
Rimmer jerked his chin at her as if asking how she felt.
“Some say revenge leaves nothing but emptiness….”
Martha clenched her fist as she watched the White Blood Lord’s soul melt away in endless agony.
“It feels chillingly good. Like all the pent-up emotions and resentment are finally being released.”
She nodded, saying she was genuinely satisfied.
“Kyah! I knew it, Miss Rakshasa!”
Rimmer clapped at her answer, delighted. Hearing that applause again after so long made her smile without realizing it.
“But what did you mean earlier, saying you expected me to use a Sword Field first?”
Martha narrowed her eyes at Rimmer.
“I meant it literally. I thought you’d use a Sword Field before Runaan and Burren.”
Rimmer blinked and said that was exactly what he meant.
“How?”
Martha narrowed her eyes even more.
“Because you were more desperate than anyone.”
Rimmer smiled faintly, as if recalling the past.
“Burren worked hard too, but he still had the complacency of someone born into the direct line. Runaan was as sincere as you were, but she still held pity for her older brother.”
His long eyelashes fluttered as he thought of his beloved disciples.
“You were the most desperate of the three, and you carried the fiercest desire for revenge. That resolve and sincerity, the willingness to stake your life, created this Sword Field.”
Rimmer slowly closed his eyes, saying he could feel her soul and emotions inside this Sword Field called Demon Prison.
“Y-you felt all that? You?”
Martha was startled by the unexpected answer.
“I’m your Master! A master has to read not just a disciple’s talent, but their emotions too.”
Rimmer wagged his finger and told her to remember that well.
“Hmm….”
Martha bit her lip tightly as she looked at Rimmer. He showed her a different side every time she saw him, but she had never expected to see a new side of him even after his death.
“The vengeance of the Vengeful Spirits is somewhat satisfied, so shall we finish this now?”
Rimmer shook the blood off his hand and gripped the Wooden Wheel Sword again.
“You’re the master of this Sword Field, and I received the power of the Heart Sword from Raon. With the threea of us, we can finish this for good.”
He took her hand and stepped into the storm of Vengeful Spirits.
Whoooosh!
The Vengeful Spirits closed the mouths that had been chewing on the White Blood Lord’s soul and opened a path for the two of them.
“Huuuuh….”
As if the Vengeful Spirits had completely devoured the White Blood Lord’s body, only her head floated above the sea.
“I’ll kill you….”
“Don’t talk.”
Rimmer sneered as he raised his sword.
“Right. Because that will never happen.”
Martha nodded and, together with Rimmer, brought her sword down on the White Blood Lord’s crown.
Swoooosh!
Two swords pierced the White Blood Lord’s forehead, and her pupils turned pure white.
“Kyaaaaaah!”
As if realizing this was the end, the White Blood Lord tried somehow to resist, but the two blades infused with the power of the Heart Sword and the Sword Field did not let her go, melting away every last remnant of her soul.
Whoooosh!
As if it had been waiting for this moment, the Hell Gate shot out chains and wrapped themselves around the White Blood Lord’s now soulless head.
Grooooooan!
The White Blood Lord’s head, emptied of soul, was mounted on the right side of the Hell Gate, dripping pure white blood.
“Haaa….”
Denier let out a murky breath as he watched. The air around him seemed tinged with sorrow, affection, and bitterness.
Grrrrrr!
Now that it had obtained both the physical bodies of the Ten Apostles and the White Blood Lord’s soul, Demon Prison opened its gate once more as if its role were complete.
“So it’s really over now.”
Rimmer smacked his lips briefly as he looked at his fading hand.
“C-can we meet again?”
Martha bit her lip as she watched Rimmer toss aside the empty liquor bottle.
“I don’t know what comes after this either. Probably not even the gods know.”
Rimmer shrugged and stroked the Vengeful Spirits drifting down behind him.
“Ah….”
Martha looked at Rimmer with eyes full of regret.
“But still….”
Rimmer approached her and stretched out a mature hand.
“It was good to see you.”
He gently stroked her head, saying he was glad he got to fight the final battle with his grown disciple.
“W-wait a moment!”
Just as Martha reached toward Rimmer, an intense light burst forth and the Hell Gate fully opened.
===
Screeeech!
Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at the reopened Hell Gate.
‘It changed.’
Mounted on the right door of the Hell Gate was a red-haired, red-eyed woman who had not been there before. Her breath had ceased, yet a formidable Blood Energy could still be felt within her.
‘Is that the White Blood Lord’s true form?’
‘Then did Martha win?’
As if his prediction had been correct, the Hell Gate, having completed all of its tasks, vanished into the lava-flowing ground while releasing a red airstream.
》”Correct!”
Wrath nodded as he looked at the ground where the Hell Gate had disappeared.
》”That queen mosquito’s soul can no longer be felt!”
He jumped up, saying that Martha had done it.
“Haaa….”
Hearing that the White Blood Lord was dead, the strength left his legs and he collapsed to the ground. He truly no longer had the strength even to twitch a finger.
Swoooosh!
The Mara of Blood and Mercy that had threatened him and the Light Wind Palace slowly stiffened as well, as if its link to its master had been severed.
However, the Mara of Blood and Mercy did not vanish. Instead, its body began to crumble into tiny fragments.
“Uwaaaah….”
“I-it’s over!”
“The blood monster is collapsing!”
The swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace let out cheers that shook the ground, realizing from the Mara of Blood and Mercy’s collapse that the White Blood Lord had died.
Grrrrrr!
The moment the Mara of Blood and Mercy melted away like sand, Martha, Denier, and Martha’s mother, who had been entangled together, collapsed at the same time.
Splaaaat!
Having lost the White Blood Lord’s power, Martha’s mother spewed bright red blood from the chest where Denier’s sword had been buried.
“M-mom!”
The moment she opened her eyes, Martha rushed to her mother, pouring Holy Water over her and trying to stop the bleeding.
“Please!”
Martha used every medicine she had, spraying it on and forcing it down her mother’s throat, determined not to let her die, but the sword wound was too severe to heal.
“Ugh….”
She wanted to help somehow, but her stamina and mental strength were already at their limits, and she had poured all of her Divine Power Blooming in Darkness into King Lecross, so there was nothing she could do.
“M-move aside.”
Denier crawled over on his knees toward Martha’s mother. As he stretched out his trembling hand, the blood flowing from her chest reversed and drew back inside, and the wound began to close.
“H-how….”
“Your mother was exposed to Blood Energy for a long time. Since the Holy Water didn’t work, I tried using Blood Energy instead, and fortunately, it worked.”
Denier confirmed that Martha’s mother was breathing again and spat out white blood. His face was so pale it looked like he could die at any moment.
“A-are you okay?”
Martha supported Denier as he panted, worry in her eyes.
“I’m fine. Fine….”
Denier waved his hand, telling her not to worry, but it did not look as though he had much time left.
“Snap out of it!”
Martha frowned and forced an Elixir into Denier’s mouth.
Raon wanted to ask what had happened inside the Sword Field, but Martha clearly was in no state to answer.
“Haa….”
Raon sighed and opened his tightly clenched right hand.
‘Well, I should say goodbye too.’
The Soul Requiem Sword remained in his hand, its red blade gone, leaving only the hilt.
‘Thank you for everything.’
The moment Raon offered his thanks, the hilt of the Soul Requiem Sword crumbled into fine powder like sawdust and scattered into the wind.
Whoooosh!
The powder that had formed the hilt of the Soul Requiem Sword floated into the air as if alive, then wrapped around him in a purple airstream.
The Vengeful Spirits. As the souls that had formed the Soul Requiem Sword surrounded him, the weight of his body vanished as if he had stepped into another dimension, and he began to feel their presence in vivid detail.
Whoooosh!
A voice reached him through the souls of the Vengeful Spirits.
– Thank you.
– I was happy to be with you.
– Living in the same era as you was joyful.
– Thank you for achieving revenge.
– I think I’ll miss you.
– I hope your future is happy.
– I really want to meet you again.
The same words echoed without end.
“No.”
Raon shook his head as he listened to the voices of the Vengeful Spirits.
“I’m the one who’s grateful. I was happy. I was joyful.”
He felt that he had received far more help from the Soul Requiem Sword than he had ever given, so he wanted them to know that he was the grateful one.
“It’s really over.”
Raon bit his lip as he watched the Vengeful Spirits fade as if they were about to depart.
“May we meet again someday.”
Just as he offered a prayer for the Vengeful Spirits to ascend—
Swoooosh.
A refreshing wind brushed over his head.
“Huh…?”
Swallowing dryly, he turned his head and saw Rimmer, wrapped in a light green wind, looking at him.
“M-master?”
Raon stepped back with his jaw hanging open.
》”Pointy Ears? Is it really Pointy Ears?”
Wrath also gaped in shock.
‘Is it real? Or is it the White Blood Lord’s spell?’
He had never even imagined Rimmer would appear, and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
》”I-I don’t know either!”
Wrath panted as well, saying that even he couldn’t tell.
“It’s a little awkward to say ‘long time no see,’ isn’t it? I’ve been watching you all along.”
Rimmer grinned and raised his hand.
“That crown suits you well, Raon.”
He nodded seriously, as if genuinely glad to see him.
“Master….”
His heart swelled so much that even if the Rimmer before his eyes really were the White Blood Lord’s spell, he felt like he wouldn’t care.
“Is it really you, Master?”
Raon met Rimmer’s eyes with trembling pupils. The green eyes reflecting him were clear and transparent, just like the ones he had seen in the Fifth Training Ground.
“I have something to tell you.”
Rimmer did not answer the question. Instead, he drew a faintly shining smile.
“Please, say it.”
Raon nodded, determined to hear whatever it was.
“Do you happen to have any money?”
“…Huh?”
It was so far beyond anything he had expected that his mind went blank for a moment.
“T-those Vengeful Spirit bastards took everything, even my underwear. With interest added, I owe quite a bit….”
Rimmer scratched the back of his head, saying he had no idea there were so many Vengeful Spirits good at gambling.
“This shamelessness.”
》”This vulgarity!”
Raon and Wrath turned their eyes toward each other as if they had made a pact.
‘It’s real.’
》”It’s definitely Pointy Ears!”