Chapter 62

Humans have their limits.

Limits of strength. Limits of stamina. Limits of species.

An undeniable period that willpower alone cannot overcome.

From the very moment the first god created all life, this law was already set in stone.

Humans were weaker than any other race.

But.

If you can’t back down, what should you do?

You couldn’t live as a fairy’s plaything.

You didn’t want to live as livestock for the beastmen.

Being a slave to the demi-humans was nothing but pain.

You wanted to escape the fate of being bred as the mother of countless hybrids.

You needed the strength to not yield.

To face humanity’s enemies and finally win.

Humans resisted.

They raised their swords and rebelled against the providence set by the creator.

If it’s unreachable as a human.

If this is the limit of the human species.

Then, let’s go beyond humanity.

Somewhere in the heavens, an unknown being admired and blessed them.

This was the beginning of karma.

—

“Hershel…?”

Damien struggled to call my name.

My body was riddled with wounds, torn apart.

Just a little deeper, and they would’ve severed completely.

…It seemed impossible to move properly anymore.

What about Milia?

Surely, she’s not dead, right?

Tell me you protected her, Damien.

I listened intently with a desperate heart.

“……, ….!.. …, …..!..”

I heard ragged breathing.

A heartbeat echoed. Slowly. Very slowly.

But, she was still alive.

Barely.

I pulled out the vial I received from Freide. A pale liquid sloshed inside.

One of the last three vials I had left after using the rest.

It was for when I could no longer move, to drink and fight.

…Good thing I saved it.

“Here, it’s a healing potion. Use it on Milia. And if possible, retreat.”

I handed it to Damien without hesitation.

I’m still fine.

Just a little tired. I can fight. My legs and arms still move.

“What about… you?”

“I… have to fight.”

I raised my sword again. Toward the black panther, who was grinning at us while flexing its claws.

Yeah, you can kill me all you want.

With trembling arms, I gripped the drooping longsword and charged.

I had to buy time. At least until Damien and Milia could escape.

Just a little longer.

—

– Clang!

The swung sword was easily deflected.

My body, which always gave me confidence, was helplessly pushed back.

I couldn’t feel my fingertips.

The beastman’s great warrior.

Warriors who had honed their pureblood, resilient bodies to the limit.

They weren’t enemies I could face with a tired body.

“If the primary target is here… it seems Boris failed. Unfortunately.”

“If it’s the black wolf, you can see him in the special exhibit. The way he died like a dog…!”

“Is that so?”

The black panther laughed.

About 2 meters tall. Small for a pureblood, with lean muscles rather than bulky ones.

The panther’s black patterns covered its golden skin, making it look mottled.

“Then I guess I’ll have to do it. You’ll die like a dog too, and tell Boris who’s waiting for you. Natalia sent you.”

Natalia’s longsword gleamed with a black sheen.

The light armor, only covering vital points, was soaked red with human blood.

An arrow embedded in her shoulder swayed, and light blood seeped from a few shallow cuts on her fur.

Injuries too trivial to even call wounds, but even that was a miracle.

With Damien and Milia’s skills, holding out must’ve been hard.

But they held out.

Against an overwhelming enemy, without retreating.

So I must do the same.

“Haaaaa!”

The longswords clashed.

With a flash of sparks, my arm was flung back by the impact.

The sword was still sharp, but I lacked the strength to push forward.

Natalia’s sword tip aimed for my throat.

“Kuh, aaaaah!”

I blocked with my left arm. The black iron gauntlet was gouged, and my forearm was torn.

It’s fine. I can still move.

I thrust forward, aiming for the panther’s heart.

“Too slow.”

My outstretched hand was caught effortlessly.

The panther’s leg slammed into my hollowed torso.

My body folded in half.

“Kuhuk!”

I coughed out blocked breath as I was flung back.

I crashed through a wall, shattering it.

With a loud noise, broken bricks cascaded down.

Dust rose in a cloud.

I rolled across the ground.

Debris on the floor tore through my body.

Scraped skin burned. My shoulder ached from the collision.

Something hot surged up from my stomach.

“Kuh, kuuuk…! Khaaak!”

I vomited what felt like several bowls of blood.

Was it my blood, or the beast’s?

The pool of blood mixed with stomach acid reeked of a sour, metallic stench.

Was my waist still attached?

The pain turned my mind blank.

It felt like my side had been torn open, agonizingly painful.

So painful that I couldn’t even scream.

But so what?

I stabbed my sword into the ground, using it as a crutch to stand.

Gritting my teeth, I charged again.

Not yet.

This isn’t the limit yet.

Hershel’s body couldn’t have reached its limit this easily.

I roared, reigniting my will.

Remembering the dead.

Recalling the screams that echoed through the burning city.

The culprit was right in front of me.

The enemy I had to kill was before me.

So I can’t stop.

At that moment, a radiant light enveloped the city from afar.

It was Elpinel’s holy light.

—

The pain lessened.

My stamina returned as if time had reversed.

Strength returned.

My running legs sped up rapidly. For the first time, I ran while thanking the gods.

I didn’t know exactly what had happened.

But this overwhelming sensation, seeping into my body with the divine light, was undoubtedly a miracle.

“Holy light…?! A saint candidate…!”

Natalia’s expression turned urgent for the first time.

The black panther swung its sword at me.

A black arc sliced through the air.

Unlike before, this was a genuine slash meant to kill.

Even if I tried to block it, I would’ve been sent flying helplessly.

– Kaaaaang!

I blocked it.

I could block it.

The two swords pushed against each other, howling fiercely.

I didn’t get pushed back. Finally.

“Kyaaaaaah!”

I roared and pushed forward.

Brilliant sparks flew.

Jin’s longsword slowly dug into the black iron blade.

“Tch!”

Once again, the beast’s leg aimed for my stomach.

I jumped back to dodge.

Natalia’s leg cut through empty air.

My body felt light, as if I had escaped from a swamp.

If my body had been intact, I could’ve dodged like this from the start.

“You said I was slow, how about now?!”

I shouted while leaping. My revitalized body danced with energy.

I swung my sword. Thrust my arm. Kicked out with my leg.

I continued attacking endlessly, relentlessly.

Natalia growled.

“Stop messing around!”

I blocked the swung longsword mid-air.

With a whoosh, my body was flung back.

I flipped in mid-air and landed. My feet slid, leaving a long trail.

“Grrrrrr…”

Natalia crouched, baring her teeth.

A completely different, ferocious aura emanated from her.

“How dare a human…!”

She gripped her sword hilt tightly. Yeah. Now we’re back to the starting point.

She was still stronger than me.

—

“Kyaaaaaah!”

“Kyaaaaaah!”

Baring fangs and roaring, the human and the beastman clashed.

Clash after clash.

Swords and swords, claws and claws, they swing at each other with intent.

The resemblance is strikingly similar.

With a longsword in one hand and claws in the other, they attack fiercely like beasts.

Not even caring about the wounds, roaring with rage.

It was like looking in a mirror.

“Are you even my kin?”

“My mother is human!”

Like a brush dipped in red paint, blood splatters everywhere.

The body is drenched in blood once again.

They just keep attacking relentlessly.

…I can feel myself being pushed back.

Physically, I’m slightly weaker. But the sword’s performance is superior.

Jin, in front, made the Suin’s regeneration meaningless.

Yet, defeat feels inevitable.

Equal conditions. Swords digging equally deep.

When Natalia’s sword scrapes bone, mine only cuts through muscle.

Human and Suin.

The simple difference in size slowly tilts the balance of victory.

If this continues, I’ll just slowly die, my intuition mocks me.

Humans can’t beat Suin, it says.

But I can’t accept that.

I gather my will once more and step forward.

Pushing aside thoughts of defeat, I whip my body into action.

If the enemy can’t be beaten, then I’ll fight until I can.

Memories of the past few months flash through my mind.

Is this what they call a life flashing before your eyes?

The smiling faces of those who were with me.

And then, the sight of them bleeding and falling.

Because of these bastards.

**Milia.**

“Kuh, uaaaaah!”

I throw myself at the thrusting longsword.

With a squelch, my shoulder is pierced. I grab it and take another step forward.

I press on.

The blade digs into my shoulder bone and muscle, sending a chilling sensation and burning pain through my nerves.

Biting back a scream, I swing my sword.

Natalia’s left arm is deeply slashed.

The bone scraped through the torn muscle is exposed.

“Kuhak…! You bastard!”

The Suin’s knee, like a cannonball, slams into my stomach.

Coughing up blood, my body is flung into the air.

My grip loosens, and I drop the longsword.

**Nigel.**

Gritting my teeth, I twist my body, ignoring the tearing pain and the rising blood in my throat, and kick the longsword.

The sword, like an arrow, pierces Natalia’s thigh.

“Kueuk…!”

Natalia’s backhand slams into my head.

Like a thrown dog, I roll across the ground, coughing up blood.

My consciousness wavers.

I bite my lip, crushing it. My mind returns.

Staggering, I push myself up from the ground.

Something catches my hand.

A giant sword, broken in half.

**Damien.**

I grab the greatsword and stand.

“Aaaaaah!”

I leap, spin, and bring it down.

Pouring all the remaining energy in my body.

“Ai-shan Gi-orrrr!”

Natalia pulls out my longsword from her thigh and throws it.

The tip of the sword, aimed at my heart, flashes sharply.

Too late to block. No way to dodge.

I twist my upper body to avoid my heart.

– Whoosh!

Ai-mel-ra’s longsword, as if lying, turns my body.

Caught in the greatsword’s wind, it spins halfway, and only the hilt taps my body as it passes.

Natalia’s face turns to shock.

She raises her longsword.

Like thunder splitting a rock, the two swords collide with a deafening crash.

The black iron blades shatter into pieces.

A fragment of the greatsword grazes my cheek.

Dozens of blade fragments embed themselves into Natalia’s body.

Natalia spurts blood from her entire body.

Even if it’s a black iron greatsword stripped of silver, with this much damage…!

“Kwaaaaaah!”

Ah.

With a roar, four blades pierce my body.

A spray of blood erupts.

“Aaaaaah!”

My barely held composure breaks, and I scream.

Four long claws pierce and tear through my collarbone area.

Right. Claws. Even if the weapon breaks, the Suin still has claws…

The gaping maw approaches.

Aiming for my neck, as if to bite it off.

Reflexively, I kick and roll across the ground.

Crimson blood stains the torn ground.

“Haa…! Haaaa….!”

I exhale the suppressed breath.

My body trembles.

The fading light of Elpinel’s blessing grows dimmer.

The body, resurrected multiple times by the blessing’s power, is finally nearing death.

Even the pain fades like a mirage.

Through the darkening vision, I look at the enemy.

Natalia roars. She charges with a roar.

Arms wide, eight claws raised.

Like a beast, ferociously.

Unlike the longsword, the wounds from the greatsword are healing quickly.

Rising flesh spits out the black iron fragments.

…I want to rest.

So tired, unable to bear the pain, I want to close my eyes and sleep.

But I still have to fight.

—-

Before I know it, I pick up the longsword embedded beside me.

I make one last promise to myself.

A promise I must never forget.

I will never fall.

I will never die.

I will survive, I must survive.

To protect. Myself. Others. This cruel and brutal world.

It’s not faith.

Faith has burned to ashes.

It’s not atonement.

To speak of atonement without achieving anything is just hypocrisy.

So, this is just.

Yes.

A duty I must fulfill.

Protect humanity.

With a sword.

From all the enemies of the world.

From the distortions I’ve created, from the calamities yet to come.

Protect the people.

The blue light swirling around the blade grows stronger.

Brighter and more radiant.

The golden seal burns like the sun.

**[L’une des douze épées qui défendent l’humanité]**

**The Twelve Swords that Protect Humanity**

Something seeps into my entire body.

A warmth, indescribable, like the gentle sunlight.

Only now can I feel it.

Only now do I truly understand.

This is, Life Force.

Not the chaotic, blood-soaked Life Force, but a radiant, protective Life Force.

Not Hersela’s, but the Life Force I’ve built.

Surely, compared to Hersela’s Life Force, it’s insignificant.

If Hersela’s Life Force was like a river overflowing with blood, mine is but a small stream.

Yet, that blue light shines so purely.

Like the morning sky I once looked up at. I can’t look away.

Entranced, I grip the sword-

Above my head.

And swing.

Without even a scream, the Suin’s great warrior is split in two.