The torn vocal cords. The leaking wind sounds resemble screams, screams of a human.
A chilling sound as if it were the last scream in life.
When that scream echoed across the heated battlefield, Aslan returned his mace to his waist and exhaled deeply.
Thick white bodily fluids dripped down, along with horrific screams, and the sound of falling carapaces hitting the ground. Then came the towering twist of the Supreme Divinity’s Sword.
It was an unreal scene at first glance; however, the acrid smell of dirt and the foul stench of insects clinging to the nostrils reminded Aslan that this was indeed reality.
――!
The plan was successful. By depriving it of its roar, one of its most threatening means of attack, the destruction caused by indiscriminate roars was avoided.
But.
Koo-ooo-oo!
As the Supreme Divinity’s Sword twisted its massive body, a shrieking sound began to echo through the air.
After all, the roar was merely one of many offensive tactics, not the only one possessed by the Supreme Divinity’s Sword.
Even without roaring, hundreds of blades and immense weight remained.
The Supreme Divinity’s Sword was still formidable.
A monster capable of scattering death upon direct confrontation and reaping both spirit and flesh.
A true monster that achieved mythological feats, decapitating Lesser Divinities.
Aslan knew this.
He even anticipated the upcoming patterns.
What he hadn’t foreseen was the speed—how quickly the Supreme Divinity’s Sword recovered from the shock.
A capable warrior fights through pain and swings their sword.
The Supreme Divinity’s Sword did just that.
―!
Behind the cracking roar filled with ferocious anger and terrible malice, the Supreme Divinity’s Sword twisted its body.
It resembled a dying insect writhing or the futile dance of a bug trying to devour something floating in the sky.
If only the countless sword strikes following the movement weren’t there.
The long spittle ejected from the horse’s mouth. Clutching the reins tightly, twisting the body, moving both the waist and hands simultaneously to make the horse retreat.
Swiftly turning the horse’s head and releasing concentrated force towards the ground, the beast exchanged its lifespan for strength and intelligence, accelerating according to its rider’s command.
Moments after swiftly covering several steps, almost simultaneously, a heavy impact descended.
Kwaaaaaaang!
The severed earth surged upward, scattered, and rose in clouds of dust resembling an explosion.
In other words, it was a body slam. The violently resonating ground seemed to shake the very space itself as Aslan watched the twisting body of the Supreme Divinity’s Sword and clicked his tongue.
Right after the body slam, the Supreme Divinity’s Sword twisted again.
It didn’t stop at just twisting.
An arm, leg, and appendage for wielding armor—all accelerated suddenly, causing Aslan’s single eye to lose track of the motion.
Despite its colossal size, the acceleration made it vanish from sight. The trajectory following it remained invisible.
However, it could be felt. With predictive insight blazing fiercely, Aslan perceived dozens of trajectories.
Dozens of precise trajectories converging on a single point, heading directly toward him.
Dozens of sword paths created merely by the twisting motion. Clenching his teeth, Aslan pulled on the reins to make the horse leap while dodging the drawn trajectories in his vision.
Koo-ooo-oo!
A speed so fast that even the howling wind couldn’t catch up. The leap exceeded the normal capabilities of man and horse but was still insufficient.
Instantaneously correcting the error, the virtual trajectory closed in. An unavoidable death. Before Aslan could take a breath, the horse he rode kicked him off.
――!
In that brief moment when Aslan’s body escaped the trajectory, the horse he had been riding intersected with dozens of trajectories.
With a thunderous roar, the horse was torn apart into pieces, a process too fast to see.
All that remained were clumps of blood and bits of skin, remnants of what once was the horse. Aslan marked this trace in his mind, spat lightly, and rolled on the ground.
Destroying the vocal cords was merely a tactic to increase the chances of victory, not a guarantee of success.
Still potent despite losing one means of attack.
This was why the Supreme Divinity’s Sword was strong, why it was called a Myth Killer.
Outstanding swordsmanship despite deformity. Hundreds of sword paths perfectly embodied within that form—an unmatchable strength for humans and a nearly impossible monster to defeat even with miracles.
Only beings with extraordinary resilience or power beyond common sense could stand against it on equal footing.
Being none of those things, Aslan relied solely on repeatedly piling up miracles as a human.
Thus, the plan begins now.
As Aslan got up after rolling on the ground and saw the snake-like twisting of the Supreme Divinity’s Sword, three sword traces momentarily appeared in his field of vision.
Fewer than the dozens of trajectories from before but still numerous and lethal. Aslan summoned Purity.
Deflecting them normally would mean death. Slipping them away wasn’t possible either.
What was needed was a flawless defense leaving no room for error—a feat only someone like Aslan or Phey could achieve.
An attack allowing no more than 1mm of deviation.
But Aslan can do it.
Mastery of combat, swordsmanship, and defensive arts reaching the limits of humanity, combined with the application of Order’s Scale into Purity.
“Shadow, Reverse.”
Adding Shadow Reverse to it.
When Aslan’s twelve years of accumulated expertise converged, the three trajectories and two sword marks collided.
—Creeeeeng!
The displaced air burst out like a storm, swirling wildly, while the three split paths radiated outward from Aslan, kicking up dust.
A defense that would have been impossible without utilizing every available means. Immediately afterward, hundreds of trajectories overlaid his vision. Beyond them, the residual momentum of the Supreme Divinity’s Sword swinging its body upward became visible.
This will kill me. I cannot withstand it head-on.
At that thought, Lumel burst forth from behind, splitting the dust.
“Aslan!”
A shouted call with a concise meaning. Aslan grabbed the extended hand of Lumel, springing onto the horse.
Accelerating like an arrow when the effect of the jump was added, hundreds of sword marks erased space and struck the ground.
Kwagagagaga!
Explosion. Hundreds of soil dragons soaring explosively. As Aslan and Lumel shared a single horse to accelerate and escape, the Supreme Divinity’s Sword roared briefly again.
—!
Ringing ears. The pursuing Supreme Divinity’s Sword. Martial artists caught in the violent movement scattered and died.
The Supreme Divinity’s Sword stretched out a leg toward the fallen martial artists and grasped their weapons.
Then threw them.
Death flying in straight trajectories. Toward the charging weapons leaving faint traces, Aslan desperately swung Purity.
Ka-a-a-a-aang!
With ringing metal sounds, hammers, spears, axes, and swords were deflected. Sweat drenched Lumel’s neck, and Aslan’s eyes trembled.
Sweeping his gaze around with trembling eyes, Aslan saw those keeping pace parallel to him.
Anton and the cavalry maintaining a considerable distance, seemingly unable to easily intervene.
Tutututung!
Anton fired repeated bolts from the chain mace in his hand, but the Supreme Divinity’s Sword merely glanced at them.
Kakakakaang!
Swinging its blade while spinning its body, it deflected all the chain mace bolts.
“IN—.”
A distant incantation unheard due to the great distance and noise. Simultaneously, the chain mace bolts hovering in the sky exploded, but they failed to scratch the thick carapace of the Supreme Divinity’s Sword.
They merely added the sound of raindrops falling. Frowning, Aslan looked toward the fortress gradually drawing near.
Originally, the Supreme Divinity’s Sword was a boss meant to be tackled at level 15 or above, or in the later stages of the game.
Even then, capturing it would be troublesome without setting up configurations capable of delivering high damage in the late game.
There weren’t many ways to capture it then.
Using weapons that deal fixed damage, installing siege weapons with high penetration abilities, and employing some magic.
Now, with neither the ability to confront it head-on nor the firepower to subdue it,
Aslan’s chosen method lay in that.
Using the siege weapons and magic installed in the fortress.
Augmenting miracles with human strength.
Aslan glanced at the pursuing Supreme Divinity’s Sword and exhaled heavily, lowering Purity.
Countless cannons. Estimating their ranges while—
Just barely within range. It wasn’t certain whether it would hit or miss, but advancing further would endanger the fortress.
Aslan raised Purity high.
Then the soldiers holding cannons on the fortress walls could see a radiant white light emerging through the dust.
The dazzling light of an ancient deity that naturally drew the gaze. The burning resolve of humanity.
Without any command, the soldiers holding cannons immediately moved.
Aiming beyond the dense cloud of dust. Directly behind the pure white light.
Beyond the countless metallic clicks, archers adjusted their aim, placing arrows on their strings, while wizards chanted spells and performed hand signs, casting various magics.
Above the fortress, countless ice, fire, lightning, rocks, metals, a bit of darkness, and a bit of light emerged.
Frida atop the fortress wall lifted her axe amidst the brilliant light and silence and shouted,
“FIRE!”
Tutututung!
Kwaaaaa!
Hundreds of trajectories adorned the sky.
Hundreds of cannons, arrows, magics—cutting through the rising dust clouds, they surged toward the massive figure beyond.
—!
A short roar. A wide-range attack that couldn’t be unleashed due to the torn vocal cords. The moment the Supreme Divinity’s Sword hesitated, the countless attacks battered its massive body.
Kwagagagaga, Kwaaaang!
Fire erupted, lightning crackled, ice scattered, stone fragments flew, metals struck and shattered the carapace.
To anyone watching, it was clear the attacks were landing.
Under normal circumstances, these wouldn’t have hit the Supreme Divinity’s Sword.
Ordinarily, the Supreme Divinity’s Sword could easily annihilate an army with just a roar.
Even if it couldn’t completely annihilate them, any incoming magic or weapons would lose their power and fall before the overwhelming roar that seemed to tear through space.
Human strength was originally unreachable for the Supreme Divinity’s Sword.
That’s why Aslan targeted the vocal cords first.
Purely for the sake of this one opportunity.
Among the hail of cannons and arrows, and the mass discharge of magic draining all mana, the Supreme Divinity’s Sword twisted its body and swung its sword.
Deflecting hundreds of projectiles with countless arcs slicing through the air, it let out a cracked scream.
—!
Completely focused on defense. In that moment of vulnerability,
Tuuuung!
Arrows came flying again.
Aieeeeeeek!
Tiamat’s arrows made from ordinary steel daggers—not black iron, not blue iron.
Yet, the executioner that had pronounced death sentences on countless priests.
Kwajijjik!
It precisely pierced the eye of the myth killer.
—!
The echoing scream. Flowing bodily fluids and vitreous humor. The Supreme Divinity’s Sword twisted its body and hurled the sword in its hand, shattering a tent.
But among the scattered blue iron shards, not a shred of flesh flowed out.
Beneath the tent was nothing but the sword thrown by the Supreme Divinity’s Sword, already having slipped away.
It was a humiliating event.
For the Supreme Divinity’s Sword, which had silenced countless divine ranks and spread fear with its immense power, to struggle here. To have done nothing more than kill a single horse.
Humiliating and terrifying.
The wrath of the Supreme Divinity seemed imminent.
Inherent fear pushed the Supreme Divinity forward, forcing it to scream.
—!
And the action it took was the most powerful remaining means.
The same powerful downward strike used against Aslan.
A blow powerful enough to shatter a fortress in one strike. This time, executed with dozens of arms.
Even if blocked, it would slash through with dozens of trajectories simultaneously.
Failure was not an option this time. Determined thus,
Gugugugugu…!
The wounded colossus was lifted high, soaring upwards as if piercing the heavens. Its shadow fell over the fortress, and the remaining eye of the myth killer burned with hatred and malice.
The target was the fortress. The aim was a devastating strike. Dozens of slashing blows fired simultaneously would leave no trace behind.
Just as the Supreme Divinity’s Sword tilted its sword blade,
Something revealed itself from within the fortress.
From beneath the draped giant tent inside the palisades.
Upon reflection, it was obvious.
Palisades alone couldn’t hold back even a martial artist, let alone the Supreme Divinity’s Sword.
So, the purpose of the palisades must have been something else.
For instance, to conceal something.
That “something” now entered the eye of the remaining myth killer.
A human imbued with the divine power of an ancient deity. A human with crimson hair like the sun.
This human gripped something enormous and aimed it at the Supreme Divinity’s Sword.
It resembled a cannon.
But it wasn’t just any cannon.
It was a weapon recognized by the Supreme Divinity’s Sword, once the last emperor of the empire.
It was purely disposable.
Enlarged by Anton’s magical enhancements, hardened by Anna Helmenius’ magic, and efficiency boosted by Aslan’s Rooting Technique—it was barely recreated.
A lost relic of the ancient empire.
Known in the ancient empire as the Dragon Slayer Cannon, a super-large cannon.
A weapon devised by some ancient deity to hunt dragons that consumed metal and developed tough scales.
Originally meant to be mounted on Velus’ great wall, it was now held in the small hands of a girl.
And only Angie, whose strength was amplified by the divine power of an ancient deity, could wield the Dragon Slayer Cannon.
Strength elevated by divine power redefines the laws of physics.
Thus, swinging its overwhelming power doesn’t send the wielder flying, and handling something larger than oneself doesn’t pull one backward.
Even supporting something larger than oneself won’t cause it to collapse under its own weight.
In this world, only Angie could hold and use this weapon.
That was Aslan’s aim.
Tearing the vocal cords, luring it to the fortress, stealing its eye with Tiamat’s sniper shot, diverting its attention with cannons and magic to make it think the fortress was annoying.
Creating an opening for such a powerful attack.
All these procedures existed solely for this moment.
At the instant the Supreme Divinity’s Sword tried to lower its sword blade to block.
—Gooouuung!
Following Phey’s guidance, Angie pulled the trigger of the Dragon Slayer Cannon. The twanging sound of the string reverberated with a thunderous roar.
The Dragon Slayer Cannon shattered into pieces, scattering everywhere. Angie’s arms were torn open, bleeding profusely, but the super-sized arrow fired faithfully fulfilled its role.
The target was the vocal cords. The exposed spot where the carapace had broken.
Accurately aimed under Phey’s guidance, the arrow from the Dragon Slayer Cannon pierced through.
The booming sound akin to a loud explosion. Flying chunks of pale flesh. Pushed back by the immense force, the Supreme Divinity’s Sword was sent flying, and the massive arrow piercing its body landed far away in the forest.
Following closely, the Supreme Divinity’s Sword tumbled across the ground. The 50-meter-long behemoth rolled, splashing blood, eliciting cheers bordering on screams from the fortress.
Soldiers embraced each other joyfully, tears streaming down their faces. However, their joy was short-lived because the fallen Supreme Divinity’s Sword began to rise.
The mythic killer slowly stood up, shaking its body and spilling blood.
It appeared weakened at first glance, but it wasn’t.
Aslan knew the real battle was starting now.
His tightly clenched Purity trembled slightly with each exhaled breath.
Shaking now, just like the Supreme Divinity’s Sword.
Kung!
The mythic killer plunged its sword into the ground. The 3-meter-long greatsword was named Victory.
Kugung!
The last emperor of the empire embedded his mace into the ground. The 2-meter-long mace symbolized imperial authority.
―――!
The Supreme Divinity’s Sword screamed. Though its vocal cords were completely torn, it couldn’t produce a sound, but the mere exhalation from its elongated body was deafening.
Splitting the wind, overturning the earth, the roaring sound of fury, hatred, and malice.
Beyond that roar, the head of the mythic creature split open.
The splitting sound was so vast and eerie that it penetrated the ears of the soldiers atop the fortress.
Some soldiers collapsed, fainted, or screamed as they resisted the sound by covering their ears, and slowly something began to emerge from the mythic killer’s crown.
It was a kind of metamorphosis.
The emergence of an ancient monster that had lived for thousands of years after breaking out of the giant centipede cocoon.
But it wasn’t as beautiful as a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.
It resembled a human.
A massive human, standing 8 meters tall.
But it wasn’t a human one would want to call that.
A monstrous being, huge and filled with malice. Its mouth a mix of insect and human, its eyes resembling those of a beast.
An exact imitation, not a clumsy one.
The deep traces of humanity visible between them.
A being with the lower body of a centipede and the upper body of a human.
And it instilled fear in those who saw it.
Because the people of Geladridion had no way to describe it.
Only Aslan knew the word to call it.
Demon.
Holding the Victory and Authority embedded in the ground, the demon screamed towards the sky.
