Chapter 94

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on February 8, 2025

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Pinterest Telegram

‘The world.’

Something was off.

It felt like time had stopped, yet everything was vividly clear.

As if… everything seen until now had been a lie.

The world was infinitely vast and immeasurably wide.

Yet crushingly narrow all at once.

An indescribable sensation washed over me.

‘This…’

A colossal bolt of lightning erupted from it, shaking the very foundations of existence.

Its color—fiery and brilliant red.

Though invisible to the naked eye,

it could still be seen, still felt.

The crimson lightning extending from that kid surged outward in every direction.

Like spiderwebs forming in the air, intricate and unrelenting.

And it reached… my position.

When it touched even the tiniest part of me, my whole body tingled as if electrocuted.

But at the same time…

My drained body suddenly surged with newfound power.

Even though I shouldn’t have been able to move an inch,

I moved—powered by that force.

And not just any movement.

Faster than anyone here.

Until the moment the crimson current flowing through my body disappeared into the ground via my feet.

Its aftereffects continued to guide my actions.

Perhaps because this process repeated several times,

the one who had aimed to pierce me with sheer intent now looked utterly bewildered.

Not only him.

The small pressure exerted on the ground beneath my feet—

even the way it transferred through bones and muscles before reversing back—

Every heartbeat, every pulse of blood coursing through veins—it all resonated deep within my bones.

No, wait.

All of this originated from there in the first place.

Gradually, countless reactions unfolded inside my head.

Electricity.

That kid’s red current coursed through my body, replacing something old with new electric energy.

Subtle but unmistakable electrical activity.

Of course, even these natural bodily phenomena were nothing short of miraculous to me.

So complex, so multifaceted.

Could we really have been moving like this all along?

We collide.

No, not quite.

It’s more like…

I’m being pulled in.

As if my body instinctively responds to his.

Reacting automatically.

My mind was chaotic, but only because I tried to understand it.

This isn’t about understanding—it’s about accepting.

If I let my guard down for even a second here,

the harmony will break.

That much I sensed.

====

“…This is perplexing.”

Why does he respond to my movements?

His reaction far surpasses anything Barro or I could achieve.

I know that technique well enough.

Manipulating mana—not just its flow, but using it to dominate and strip others of their control over their own bodies.

The principle remains unknown to me,

but those who’ve faced similar foes shared one common experience:

It feels like you’re being sucked into something.

Even Grandeous’ successors used similar methods, but…

Right now,

this thing in front of me resembles Grandeous’ technique most closely.

‘Thought it would end with mere proximity.’

Who doesn’t know better?

But the reactions displayed by this entity…

They clearly show that Grandeous couldn’t be defeated or resisted without direct contact.

That naive response wouldn’t suffice against someone like him.

Precisely this method—while primarily defensive—can instantly shift into an offensive form when mastered.

The prolonged battles with Grandeous taught many people one simple truth:

[Just throw everything you’ve got before making contact.]

[Overwhelm them purely through physical violence.]

[If brute strength alone falls short, bring out a monstrous frame to crush them.]

For instance, after channeling mana right up to the last second, launch your body like an arrow.

Your entire being becomes both projectile and spear.

Thus relying solely on inertia and kinetic force instead of mana.

Additionally, overwhelm with sheer size—a colossus no small frame can match.

Simple yet effective conclusions.

However, those proposing such solutions soon encountered another wall.

‘There’s no doubt about it.’

This isn’t about matching speeds.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Because of the distance between us,

if I can maintain the same velocity and momentum,

reaching and overwhelming him won’t be much of an issue.

What enables this is likely…

Some sort of special skill allowing one to react as if already in contact, even without touching.

“Clearly, you’re the true successor to him.”

Among the Knights of Redemption,

no one has yet reached this level.

Had I not known Grandeous,

I might have fallen prey to confusion and perished myself.

But knowing him too well proved advantageous.

‘Still, this approach won’t work.’

There’s supposedly a third barrier,

and reaching it now seems impossible.

Originally, only “he” could achieve such heights.

Or rather,

even what we see now surpasses everyone else’s limits.

I don’t understand the principle behind it.

Nor the method.

Where does it originate?

What is its source?

‘The Black Star, huh.’

Barro once received cryptic teachings from Grandeous.

Teachings that, he warned, would remain incomprehensible.

And indeed, they were.

“I pay my respects.”

In such a short time, achieving this far with merely human capabilities…

Yet, he remains my enemy—the son of our adversary.

Had he been on our side,

he could have easily become the hero of our era.

“Haa…”

With a heavy heart, raising his left hand to clutch his chest,

Barro resolved himself.

From the grip of his right hand holding the pitch-black spear,

a blinding light erupted.

The crimson lightning illuminated the surroundings, scattering intense brilliance everywhere.

Then, merging with the black spear,

it transformed into a dark crimson glow.

The sight of radiant light being consumed by minuscule darkness seemed unnatural and surreal.

Yet, given what it targets,

everyone watching alternated their gaze between two focal points.

On one hand, a spectacle of catastrophe where light engulfs everything while simultaneously being devoured by darkness.

On the other hand, standing quietly amidst it all…

Peaceful silence reigned.

As if even the static itself had settled around him.

The area surrounding Carriel was unusually calm and still.

====

-Still, the opponent wasn’t ideal.

Despite overcoming compatibility issues, each conquest led to greater trials and barriers.

“…”

Their technique is straightforward.

Unlike previous clumsy responses, this time they’re throwing everything they’ve got.

Carriel’s capacity to absorb power is extremely limited.

For example, the total amount of force his body can handle—if exceeded—

would leave no room for countermeasures, breaking his body first.

Back then, while his body was strong, he lacked the techniques or abilities to accept such forces.

Now, it’s reversed.

Above all,

could he truly withstand this attack head-on, assuming perfect health?

Honestly, I couldn’t tell.

‘If I can use that.’

What I did unknowingly during the fight with Ellie—

though I realized then that it represented the direction I should pursue.

But it’s not something you can casually wield just because you want to, right?

Isn’t that why the Demon King refrained?

Isn’t that also why Elbat is necessary—to fulfill certain conditions?

Then,

how did I manage to use it back then?

The Demon King said this at the time:

“It looks like your opponent helped you. Where in this world does someone wielding such overwhelming power without hostility exist?”

Meaning, had I faced someone of equal power,

I’d probably have died long ago.

Instead, Ellie demonstrated her overwhelming power without intending to harm me—giving me room to struggle.

But that was possible only because it was me at the time.

“If you’d learned differently, resisting such power would have been impossible.”

Another matter of compatibility.

Especially considering the legacy named after the Great Demon King—powers possessed by the Demon King in life.

Grandeous aimed to shatter and destroy all of it.

He employed the Black Star specifically for this purpose, they say.

Apparently, it’s one of the few ways the Demon King himself could dismantle his own powers,

a method personally taught and passed down by him.

[If completed, that is.]

Currently,

I know absolutely nothing about it.

That much is undeniable reality.

The crimson lightning had transformed into a bizarre electric current—dark yet glowing white.

At that exact moment,

an oppressive darkness enveloped the entire world.

‘This is…’

Something distinctly different from what I once unleashed.

Perhaps this is its imitation, striving to mimic its form.

Black currents spreading in all directions like branches sprouting from a tree.

Tracing countless shapes across the sky.

Like a fleeting tree stretching its black branches,

filling every available space.

No escape, no retreat.

But my body now lacks even the luxury of dodging or evading.

Its reactions stem entirely from utilizing and countering the opponent’s moves.

Same goes for my responses.

Right now, I’m practically a hollow corpse.

Being alive at all feels miraculous.

‘My heart is still beating.’

Slowly.

Unbelievably slow.

The flow of blood, the sensations—all faint and sluggish.

Yet the world around me accelerates uncontrollably fast.

‘Death…’

Is coming.

The black lightning transforms into light, reaching toward me with its branching tendrils.

-You might as well start praying.

The Demon King grinned,

casually starting a chant.

In this world,

if there exists an entity unwilling to tolerate your death—

and if that entity happens to be absurdly powerful—

“?!’

The black branches,

suddenly entwined with new shoots rising from the ground.

And then shattered.

Collapsed.

Interlaced.

“Wha—?!”

Starting with cracks on the ground,

new branches shot out.

Not just branches—this time, massive pillars emerged,

something writhing and breaking through the surface violently.

Revealing itself.

-That attachment clinging to you seems to have a very clear desire.

But what happens if you die?

-You won’t even get the chance to beg for salvation, right?

The body rots away,

spewing dark, murky liquid.

Huge branches and vines intertwine, decaying grotesquely.

How do you even describe such a scene?

-I don’t know much. From rumors, I gathered you somehow saved the World Tree, but even that seems shrouded in mystery. Just guesses, really.

But Barro mentioned earlier that some entity almost killed you, right?

And then there were whispers that the World Tree and elves saved you?

-Regardless of whether those stories are true or exaggerated, based on this information, a few things can be inferred.

Gratitude owed to the World Tree.

Unlimited debt owed by the elves.

Moreover,

-most of your abilities align more with elven traits than human ones.

Probably due to the World Tree’s influence.

Or perhaps the aftermath of your presumed death.

-Memory loss, mana adaptation issues—all likely connected.

Sure, it’s all speculation,

but figuring out the truth can wait, right?

-But what exactly is the nature of that attachment? While you were unconscious, I met with it several times.

Though it mostly threw tantrums.

Each time causing chaos around you.

“…”

Seizures.

Is that what you’re referring to?

The thing bursting through the surface was literally a monster.

And it’s only halfway out.

It vaguely resembled earth dragons or trolongs.

But most of its scales and skin appeared murky and polluted.

Worse still, rotting branches and vines clung to it like tentacles.

A deeply ominous and repulsive sight.

-This confirms it. That attachment is obsessed with you.

Why?

-Because it wants to be saved too. It kept saying that, didn’t it? Take it at face value.

A recurring demand.

When it seemed too difficult, it nearly strangled Carriel to death.

-But it couldn’t actually kill you. So it must’ve influenced this situation somehow.

Especially since you were on the verge of dying.

-And the identity of that thing? It’s nothing else.

Born under the same fate as the World Tree,

but rooted in different lands, existing in different worlds.

While the World Tree stands in this plane,

that thing exists above or below it, ahead or behind it.

But they cannot coexist in the same world.

-The Demon Realm also has something akin to a World Tree. They call it the Sacred Tree of the Demon Realm.

And now, it’s intruding into this realm,

exerting its influence despite significant sacrifices.

-Things must be chaotic over there too, given how events unfolded here without warning.

“…Is this even possible?”

Even amidst confusion, the world I perceive moves slowly,

mocking me with its leisurely pace.

-Nothing’s impossible. If it happened, it’s possible. You just didn’t know, didn’t try to see, didn’t consider it.

The Demon King spoke.

-Against your death, there’s another objection here. If you die… hmm. This could get interesting.

It appears you’re the sole hope for that thing.

-Losing its savior—or worse, its successor—to some distant outsiders acting recklessly? Incredible! This is getting fun.

The Demon King burst into laughter.