Chapter 791
Thus, the woman's endless cycle of life began anew.
Gathering the guardian trees of the four races to create a small sapling.
Returning to her hometown to plant the tree.
And in return, being stoned and burned at the stake.
"Fall…"
Watching the woman's journey of meaningless sacrifice, the Demon King was now pleading.
"Fall, I say!"
The woman no longer even glanced in the Demon King's direction.
She simply continued repeating her life in silence.
"Why won't you break? Why won't you give up?"
It was the Demon King who couldn't bear it.
"Just why…?!"
Since leaping down from his constellation and becoming an intermediary.
The Demon King had never once failed to corrupt his targets.
He had tempted countless lives and watched their souls be defiled in the muck. Observing all those tragedies up close was the Demon King's pleasure and reason for existence.
Even the most noble souls eventually broke in the face of endless trials.
No matter how great their intentions or how long they climbed the dizzying heights of the mountain, everyone eventually stumbled and fell into the valley of corruption.
The Demon King enjoyed watching that fall. The higher and more treacherous the mountain of asceticism they built, the sweeter the fall.
But what about this woman? What about this insignificant creature?
Despite being as small and insignificant as an ant. Wasn't she endlessly moving a task dozens of times larger than herself up the hill, even as she was crushed?
"…"
The woman planted the tree.
She devoted her life to planting the tree that would end her life. Endlessly, repeatedly.
…
Though the woman didn't know it, this act was not actually meaningless.
The tree had already taken root.
The guardian tree of the races had a structure with its trunk in this world and its roots in the spirit realm.
Even if time was turned back, since it was connected to the spirit realm which was detached from the flow of time, Everblack's roots could continue to grow.
The tree was planted repeatedly, layering on top, and the combined roots expanded endlessly into the spirit realm below. With each iteration, Everblack grew slightly larger and stronger.
Thus, by the time the woman had been stoned and burned countless times by humans.
The human tree was able to extend roots larger and stronger than any other tree all the way to the bottom of the spirit realm.
And finally, that moment came.
The moment when the woman's soul would be completely shattered.
"…"
A summer day. The hut.
The woman opened her eyes and sensed it.
That her soul had reached its limit. That this would be the final iteration.
Gathering her fragmented consciousness, as the woman left the hut to embark on her final journey.
"Mom?"
She encountered her son.
For some reason, the son's eyes were trembling more than usual.
"…"
Though countless words echoed within her, wanting to be said, she held them back.
The woman quietly embraced her son, then whispered in as gentle a tone as possible.
"Never forget that mommy always loves you."
And the son quietly watched his mother's departing back.
The back of his mother, heading towards where she needed to go, even as she staggered and swayed.
…
Decades later.
The woman, who had now forgotten even how to walk, leaned on a cane and returned to her hometown, almost crawling.
'The tree… '
Only those words remained in the broken woman's mind, like a mission.
'Must plant… the tree… '
And at the moment the woman collapsed forward, dropping her cane.
Someone embraced her tightly.
When the woman raised her blurry eyes to look…
"Welcome back, mother."
Her son, now also a full-fledged old man, was waiting there.
No, not just her son.
The children her son had borne, and the children those children had borne…
They all stood there together with resolute expressions, waiting for her.
Since this had never happened in her past lives, the woman was bewildered.
"Here, mother. This way."
As he supported the woman and moved her to the hut.
The son explained calmly.
"Actually, I've had a sense of déjà vu since I was young. I often felt like this world had repeated several times. Not just me, but my son too. And my grandson."
"…"
"Then I discovered the research and journals you left here, mother. And only then could I understand everything."
Because they were born as vessels to carry the curse.
All the descendants of the clan possessed the talent for 'time', and had felt déjà vu in the repeating world.
The son explained awkwardly.
"I understood what you've been doing all this time, mother."
"…"
"What a grueling battle you've been fighting alone all this time, mother."
After seating the woman, who now lacked the strength to even move a finger, in a chair.
The son smiled gently.
"Don't bear it alone anymore."
"…"
"We're family, aren't we?"
The woman looked around at her son, grandchildren, and grown family surrounding her.
The son carefully took the thorn tree sapling that was clutched in the woman's hand.
Then, he took the sapling to the spot where the woman had always repeatedly planted it. The grandchildren had already dug and softened the soil in preparation.
"No, if you plant that tree…"
The woman stammered in a trembling voice.
"You, your children, all of us… will be burned and stoned…"
"It's alright."
The son did not hesitate.
"Now we'll share the pain together."
The woman's children planted the sapling.
As the sapling merged with the roots already extending into the spirit realm, the thorn tree drew up magical power. The overflowing magical power gushed out like a fountain, pouring into the world.
With his back to the bright magical light, the son smiled at the woman.
"We're connected, together."
The surging magical power settled into the children's bodies.
The first thing the son did, as the first in human history to accept and wield magical power, was to use the purest magic drawn up from the spirit realm to…
Extract the curse pooled in his mother's soul and have it settle within himself.
Click, click, click.
The gray magical power that had dwelled within the woman swirled and transferred to the son's body.
"Urgh…!"
However.
The karma (業) that curse had accumulated by the woman's generation had become too large and bloated. Too much for the son to bear alone.
"Demon King!"
The son, who was already aware of the Demon King's existence, shouted.
"Let our clan's curse… flow without stagnating!"
"…"
"Connect our clan down to future generations. Let us bear this curse even if that's what it takes."
The Demon King quietly looked down at the woman's son and his children, who were heading towards hell of their own accord.
"Even if that's what it takes, grant my mother peace."
"…"
After a moment of anguished silence.
"I am a demon who grants wishes. The master of the monkey's paw."
Even though he had found new sacrificial lambs, for some reason the Demon King's voice did not sound very excited.
"I will grant your wish. From your generation onwards, your clan shall be connected down to the distant future."
He simply stated calmly.
"Though the curse will only manifest in one person per generation, you must all share in the entire process together. You will be confined together without afterlife or reincarnation after death."
"…"
"You must watch with open eyes and suffer together eternally through all the journeys as your descendants regress and suffer. That is your 'connection'."
"That's fine."
The son smiled with difficulty.
"If the price for illuminating the world is misfortune, then at least sharing in that misfortune together… is what it means to be human."
The curse spreads.
The curse connects.
Beyond the son, to his child. And to the young child held in that child's arms…
The woman, watching what was happening before her eyes, spoke with difficulty.
"My son, why… I tried so hard not to pass on this curse…"
"It's alright, mother."
The son placed his hand on the thorn tree that had begun to grow large.
"This magical lighthouse showed us the future."
"The future…?"
"Yes."
The son whispered with a bright smile.
"In the distant future, a child will be born who will finally break this curse."
The village became noisy in the distance.
An angry mob began gathering and heading towards the hut. The son calmly nodded.
"A child who will not only break the curse, but change this world itself… that discriminates and enslaves based on power and race."
While telling such a dream-like story, the son gently grasped his mother's hand.
"They will surely be born."
The woman and her son were burned at the stake together.
They died burning together amidst a hail of stones. They died being pointed at and called witches, monsters, a cursed clan.
But the mother and son were not afraid. The two held hands and looked at each other affectionately as they perished.
The rest of the clan had successfully escaped the village beforehand.
Now they must wander the world eternally, living as the witch's successors.
Connected to each other by the curse of regression.
"…"
The Demon King stood in the middle of the execution grounds, looking down at the two corpses that had become ashes.
The woman's soul would have been freed from the bonds of the curse.
A suppressed voice flowed from between the Demon King's teeth.
"This time, I have been defeated."
In the end, the Demon King failed to corrupt her.
She did not pass on the curse to future generations by her own hand, nor did she destroy the world with resentment.
She simply chose to quietly perish alone.
It was none other than her children who saved her from annihilation. The seeds she had sown in the world.
It was the first uncorrupted, noble will he had ever witnessed, and the first defeat he had ever experienced in his life.
"Your soul has slipped through my fingers, still pure. But do you think I'll give up like this?"
The Demon King clenched his fist made of shadows.
"I will surely find you again."
Whether in the afterlife, reincarnated, or wherever she may be…
The Demon King resolved to find her soul once more.
"And this time… this time for sure!"
The Demon King vowed.
"I will corrupt you without fail…!"
The only soul he failed to corrupt.
The only soul that defeated him.
The black thorn tree she had bloomed was raising its branches over the world. The magical power that gushed out like a fountain began bestowing its grace upon all humans.
…
…
…
And a thousand years passed.
Present day.
Lake Kingdom, 10th Zone. King's Castle.
"That person died as a witch!"
The Demon King roared at me.
"She died miserably in a curse, her whole body burning as she was stoned!"
"…"
"The disgusting humans of that village, which would come to be called the Lake Kingdom, called her a monster! She was recorded as the first monster vanquished by the Lake Kingdom!"
The Demon King pointed at the empty glass sphere. That facility where all the nightmares of the Lake Kingdom were once collected.
"And that woman was not found anywhere in the afterlife, and the Lake Kingdom bastards sealed the monster they vanquished within nightmares at a national level! Isn't it natural that she would be trapped in here!"
"…"
"But you say she was revered as a goddess, not a monster? That's impossible! It can't be! How could…"
"That is."
I let out a soft sigh.
"One of the cruelties humans possess."
"…!"
"The one they called a witch, pointed fingers at, stoned, and burned to death… they revered as a god when it suited their needs."
I calmly relayed the story I heard from the goddess.
"She was enshrined as the racial deity of humanity, and took on the role of eternally supplying warmth to humanity's guardian tree."
"Supplying… warmth?"
"Yes."
A racial deity is, in the end.
Just a cog put forward for the survival of that race.
"Since Everblack was an artificially created guardian tree, its roots lacked the ability to sustain themselves in the spirit realm. They gradually froze and died."
"Don't tell me…"
"Fuel was needed to supply warmth to the tree. And the collective unconscious of the human race found a sacrificial lamb."
The witch who first planted this tree.
Unable to find peace even after death, recorded as the first monster vanquished by humanity, and the first to be sealed within nightmares.
They associated her with the 'goddess' of folk beliefs and elevated her to the racial deity of humanity.
And she willingly took on that role.
"She felt that since she was the one who planted the tree, it was her responsibility to maintain it as well. She is still warming Everblack at the cost of burning her own existence."
"…"
"Eternally, at the bottom of the spirit realm."
I added.
"Without anyone knowing of her existence."
What she is burning is, literally, herself. Her very existence.
Naturally, she cannot be perceived by anyone. Because she has already burned everything and become a 'non-existent being'. Because she is using even her future possibilities as fuel, burning them all away.
She became the object of the abstract concept of a 'goddess', but without fully receiving that glory or praise…
She was such a foolish person, making unconditional sacrifices.
"In life she transmitted the light of magic, and in death she maintains that light… she has become such a device."
The Demon King lamented.
"What a… what a foolish, stupid woman. Even if she sacrifices to the very end… even if she remains noble, what exactly is left for herself…"
I nodded slightly.
"I am her descendant. One who inherited the curse of regression. That is why I alone could perceive her."
"…"
"And now. I depart for the spirit realm. To save the goddess."
The Demon King glared at me fiercely.
"Player, what is it that you desire?"
"…"
"You said you would save her. But exactly how do you intend to save her? And saving her is not your ultimate goal either."
"…"
"Tell me. What is it that you truly seek?"
After taking a deep breath.
"My true goal is."
Finally-
I declared.
"To annihilate this tragedy called Apocalypse Calamity, the system itself."
"…!"
"In other words."
Crossing my arms, I raised the corners of my mouth.
"I intend to rebel against you Outer Gods, against this entire universe."
Chapter 792
"I intend to rebel against you Outer Gods, against this entire universe."
To you Outer Gods who cover a world in tragedy as you see fit, mock it with a game called apocalypse, and treat the beings living there as puppets.
I intend to show you clearly.
That we are not simply marionettes dancing on a stage.
That even if the strings are cut, even without a script, we are beings who can decide how to live by our own will…!
"How?"
Perhaps unable to imagine a story on the scale of rebelling against the Outer Gods watching from beyond the stage.
More flustered than ever before, the Demon King even stumbled over his words slightly.
"What exactly do you intend to do, and how?"
Smiling faintly, I slowly and in detail revealed my plan.
As I explained my plan, the Demon King's white crack-like mouth gradually widened, until it was nearly gaping by the end.
"Do you truly believe such an absurd plan will succeed?"
After hearing my plan to the end, the Demon King shouted.
"The Outer Gods will interfere at every step of your plan! And the Outer Gods are powerful! You are now truly declaring all-out war against them! The chances of this plan succeeding are infinitesimally small!"
"As you say, the chances are slim."
As the Demon King pointed out, this is by no means a safe gamble.
"But isn't it worth a try?"
However, it's not an impossible challenge either.
I have always defeated overwhelmingly powerful enemies with small and trivial tactics.
I'm simply doing the same thing this time.
"If this plan fully succeeds, Apocalypse Calamity will disappear from this world. No longer will the people of this world be toyed with by vast beings."
"…"
"And above all, the woman you've been searching for. She will be freed from her eons-long duty, truly liberated."
Slowly.
I extended my hand forward.
"Our paths overlap, Demon King."
"…"
"Because you and I are of the same kind."
Those who didn't give up on countless battles through time, who clung to saving someone.
Such foolish idiots, that's who we are.
Even if we clash in every other aspect, even if we've strived to fight and kill each other for eons until now.
If we have that one thing in common.
We can understand each other, even if just a little.
And if we can understand each other.
We can look in the same direction, stand shoulder to shoulder.
"I came to save you. So you too, save me."
"…"
"For this plan to be realized, we need each other. So please, join me in my rebellion."
After a long silence, the Demon King slowly shook his head.
"…Don't dress it up with pretty words."
He glared at me and spoke in a suppressed voice.
"Your plan not only has a low chance of success, but requires paying far too high a price. You'll lose most of the foundation that built up your world, starting with your world itself!"
"It doesn't matter."
I shrugged nonchalantly.
"I've already gotten people's consent. They said if they can gain true freedom, they're fine with paying any price."
If Pinocchio, dancing on strings, could become a real person. If he had to set fire to the strings binding his body for that…
He should be able to endure a few burn scars on his hands and neck.
"Above all, we don't need salvation secured by someone else's sacrifice."
Thinking of the goddess, I put strength into my voice.
"If it's a world that can only be maintained by burning someone's existence, it would be better for it to collapse once."
"…!"
Perhaps realizing that I was truly prepared to stake everything in my world.
The Demon King, who had been shaking his head, placed a hand on his chest.
"I am an intermediary put forth by the Outer Gods. I am essentially the same as them, fallen onto this stage to show the tragedy of this world to the Outer Gods. Are you urging me to betray my own kind?"
"…"
"If I follow your plan, I must sacrifice my everything. Is there any reason I should agree to this rebellion, even burning my own existence?"
I answered immediately.
"The woman you sought to save achieved her goal by burning her everything."
"…!"
"Because she had the courage to not fear even her soul shattering, she remained a soul that even you could not corrupt. She became the only being to defeat you."
A smirk spread across my lips.
"On the other hand, Demon King, what about you? How resolved are you?"
"What…?"
"If you truly want to corrupt that person, shouldn't you be prepared to burn your everything as well?"
The Demon King's body trembled finely, as if struck by lightning.
With my hand still extended forward, I took one big step closer.
"This is the last chance to save her, to corrupt her."
"…"
"And above all, Demon King."
I gestured to him.
"You said you leapt down onto the stage yourself. But… you've never once played the lead role, have you?"
"…What?"
"You've always stood behind the curtain of the stage, only watching the process of actors crying, laughing, suffering, and rejoicing. Though you brought your gaze close, in the end, didn't you remain an observer just like those Outer Gods?"
To him, frozen in shock.
One more step.
"Break free from being an observer. Cast aside being a mere intermediary. At this final act, this final scene, finally step into the center of the stage… become the protagonist of your life, staking your life and plunging into your life!"
"…!"
With my hand still extended.
Continuing, one more step.
"I'll prepare the grandest stage. There, for yourself, you can unfold the final game you've always dreamed of."
Now the throne is right in front.
To my rival staring blankly at me.
Finally, one more step.
"The greatest show… of corrupting the most noble soul!"
"…"
Letting out a hollow laugh, the Demon King muttered softly.
"At this rate, I can't tell who's the tempting Demon King and who's the tempted sacrificial lamb…"
"Demon King. I'll say it once more."
My outstretched hand does not waver.
"I came to save you. I came to ignite a spark in your life that only repeats without purpose."
"…"
"This is the last game. The last stage. The last scene. The last chance. Such a stage will never exist again, before or after your life. If you want to leap in, if you want to burn, now is the only time."
The trembling disappeared from the Demon King's face and body.
The gaze within the swirling shadows stared at me intently.
Still extending my hand towards him, I grinned.
"Won't you stake everything with me and play the greatest game — a final match rebelling against the universe?"
The mortal world.
The road from the Black Lake to Crossroad.
The central point.
Boom!
The barricades piled high above the road collapsed explosively.
And like a flood overflowing a dam, countless monsters surged up and writhed over the fallen barricades.
The monsters trampled stone walls and wooden fences, climbing over each other and dyeing the ground black.
Above the ground monsters, flying monsters slowly flew, filling the sky pitch black.
"Monster horde, advancing-!"
The scouts observing the situation shouted in succession.
"Third defense line, collapsed!"
"All traps, mines, and artifacts set up in advance, confirmed neutralized!"
From the Black Lake to Crossroad.
Defense lines were formed like this in various places, and troops dispatched through teleport gates intercepted monsters with various traps set up in advance.
But stopping the enemy was only temporary, the barricades soon collapsed and the troops firing from afar had to retreat through the teleport gates again.
"South of the third defense line is now only monsters! The ground itself can't even be observed! All land and sky is covered in monsters…!"
The airship Blue Pearl, retreating while maintaining a certain distance from the vanguard of monsters.
Inside, on the bridge.
Lucas, listening to the flood of reports, asked the soldier beside him.
"How many mana core missiles do we have left?"
"Only three left, sir!"
"…"
"Should we initiate the launch sequence, Lord Lucas?"
Lucas pondered.
They had fired missiles at crucial moments to delay the enemy's advance, but now they were running low on ammo.
The enemy was still infinite.
Then the remaining missiles must be fired even more carefully, at the best timing.
"…Hold the missiles."
Lucas took a deep breath and looked south.
"If our lord's words are true, 'they' will appear soon. We'll use them."
"Pardon? By 'they' you mean…"
At that moment.
Buoooooooo…!
A roar like a whale's cry rang out.
The atmosphere shook like a water surface hit by a storm. The airship also shook violently, and all the soldiers inside covered their ears in pain.
"Th-This is…?!"
After the reverberation passed, the scouts observing the rear through telescopes shouted one by one with pale faces.
"Report! Changes occurring in the enemy monster horde!"
"Something is coming out from among the small monsters covering the horde! Th-That's…!"
Like dark clouds rippling, the monster horde filling the sky and ground writhed and surged…
Boom!
Finally, something overwhelmingly huge burst forth, parting the monster horde.
A veteran scout who recognized what it was shouted first.
"Ultra-colossal monsters-!"
Buoooooooo-!
With the cry of a giant whale, three enormous monsters revealed themselves.
One who covers the sky just by spreading its two wings, favored by the sun.
An ultra-colossal monster resembling an eagle.
Ziz.
One who shakes the earth's crust with each step, a moving mountain range.
An ultra-colossal monster resembling an elephant.
Behemoth.
One who swims on land raising black spray, the avatar of floods and rainstorms.
An ultra-colossal monster resembling a crocodile.
Leviathan.
Letting out majestic cries, three beings so enormous they were hard to take in at once with human eyes appeared simultaneously.
"…!"
Not just the soldiers, but even Lucas was momentarily overwhelmed by this imposing sight.
But that wasn't the end of the problem.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
More were coming.
With the three ultra-colossal monsters in the lead, other giant monsters appeared one after another, letting out fierce roars and exuding oppressive auras.
Eating, crushing, and pulverizing the small monsters blocking their way…
They crawled into the mortal world, endlessly tangling and intertwining with each other.
Rumble…!
Just from their appearance, the sky distorted and the ground collapsed. The world could not withstand it and began to break down.
"The ultra-colossal monsters, they're endless…!"
"They're covering the world…!"
"Ugh, urgh, uuugh!"
The soldiers gritted their teeth and struggled.
To keep from going mad in the face of this apocalyptic sight.
Though the monsters they had fended off in previous defense battles were also terrible beings, the horde of monsters pouring out for this final battle was on a different dimension.
It felt as if the world of nightmares itself was being poured out to destroy this world. And in reality, it wasn't much different.
"…"
Among the march of such enormous monsters, the figure of the 'Sleepless Lake Princess' walking in the center of the monster horde was obscured and disappeared.
But Lucas could still feel the enemy commander's gaze.
"…"
Glaring at the southern world writhing black and filled with monsters, Lucas tightly gripped the handle of the sword at his waist.
Cold sweat he didn't even realize was seeping out was soaking the handle.
Chapter 793
Countless ultra-colossal monsters filled the sky and ground, advancing endlessly.
After silently observing this, Lucas took a deep breath and said in a firm voice:
"Do not be afraid."
"…!"
At this, the soldiers on the bridge straightened their backs in unison. Lucas continued calmly:
"These are all enemies that have been defeated by us humans once before."
The fact that they crawled out of the Lake Kingdom's nightmares was proof that they had already been subjugated by humans before.
Then there's no reason we can't defeat them a second time.
"And above all, His Highness the Crown Prince has already given us the means to defeat them."
No, it's the opposite.
We must use these ultra-colossal monsters to effectively stop this infinite horde of monsters.
"Operation Titan Fall."
Lucas explained, using the operation name Ash had personally given.
"It's an operation to bring out all the ultra-colossal monsters we can use on our side."
Lucas looked around at the heroes waiting on the bridge who could control ultra-colossal monsters.
"First, Jörmungandr."
The serpent-form Jörmungandr coiled tightly around Violet's neck made a hissing sound. Violet laughed hollowly, as if she had reached enlightenment.
"It's me again…"
"And, the Kraken."
King Poseidon nodded, stroking the [Ring of the Kraken] on his hand. It was the ring he had received directly from Ash not long ago.
"Lastly, those who can seize control of ultra-colossal monsters on the spot…"
Lucas looked at the two captured monsters standing side by side.
"The two Legion Commanders who have joined our side."
There stood the Dullahan Legion Commander and the Banshee Legion Commander, also with expressions of transcendence.
"Another head-hunting operation, huh… Hehe. Alright. I've never seized control of such a large body before. This should be fun."
The Dullahan Legion Commander spoke first, followed by the Banshee Legion Commander.
Everyone expected her to cry as usual, or sing with her [Heavenly Voice] equipment, or pretend to cry while making jokes with her grotesque sense of humor, but…
"May I say one thing before we go?"
Suddenly, a normal voice came out.
Violet, taken aback, looked at Banshee with cold sweat.
"What's this, why are you suddenly talking normally…?"
Regardless, the Banshee Legion Commander spoke nonchalantly.
"Thank you… for treating me like a real comrade while I've been on this front line."
"…"
"It wasn't a long time… but it felt like I returned to the time before I became a monster. It was enjoyable."
Violet, who had been watching this scene in shock, shrieked.
"Why are you being so ominous?! Don't leave strange last words, you have to come back safely! Got it?"
"Hehe…"
The Banshee Legion Commander smiled, then lowered her veil deeper to cover her mouth completely.
"Huuuuung."
With that murmur, which could have been either laughter or sobbing, all the operation participants were decided.
Lucas began explaining the operation.
"The overview is simple. Jörmungandr will take down that elephant-like monster, 'Behemoth'. The Kraken will take down that crocodile-like monster, 'Leviathan'. And the two Legion Commanders will approach that eagle-like monster, 'Ziz', aboard the Blue Pearl."
Lucas glanced at the ultra-colossal monster approaching in the sky.
"Cut off its head, and seize control of that massive body."
The head held in the Dullahan Legion Commander's arms tilted sideways.
"I can seize control, but… how are we going to cut the head off before that?"
"I'll cut it."
Lucas said simply, but everyone understood.
He was not only the acting commander now, but also the strongest knight of the World Guardian Front.
If it's Lucas, it would be possible. No, it has to be Lucas.
King Poseidon, who had been listening to the simple plan, asked:
"What exactly does 'take down' mean?"
"They are ultra-colossal monsters. They're so huge that they destroy all terrain and structures just by advancing."
Lucas relayed the operation as he had heard from Ash.
"In other words, if we can take one down, we can sweep away not only other giant monsters around it, but even small monsters."
"…!"
"We don't necessarily need to kill them. Rather, it's better to repeatedly knock them down, and in the process, sweep away other monsters to increase the damage."
In this final defense battle, we cannot annihilate all the monsters.
The enemy is infinite. It's impossible to fight and defeat them all.
That's why all operations were based on the principle of delay tactics.
This time was no different. The goal was to slow the enemy's advance using ultra-colossal monsters as much as possible.
"King Poseidon, Violet, and the two Legion Commanders. You all have means to control ultra-colossal monsters. Please rampage as much as possible, accumulate damage to the enemy, and buy us time for as long as you can."
"Um, but…"
Violet raised her hand and rolled her eyes.
"Buying time is fine, but… can we come back?"
"Of course."
Mikhail, the Sky Knights Commander who had been listening, stepped forward and proudly puffed out his chest.
"Our Sky Knights will be responsible for retrieving you. Trust in my knights."
"Hehe, alright."
Violet laughed briefly and tapped her temple with her fingertip.
"I must really be broken somewhere. I don't even feel like this is a crisis anymore."
"Consider it a crisis, Violet."
Lucas added coldly.
"You should know well what kind of end awaits a gambler who can't sense a crisis."
"Ugh, the acting commander is so cold…"
Violet whined with a tearful expression.
Lucas knew well. That he could not become a warm leader like his lord.
What suited him was the role of a cold and stern field commander, honed like a blade.
And that sometimes, the battlefield needed someone like him.
"Now, we don't have much time!"
Instead of comforting everyone, after quickly familiarizing them with the points to be cautious of in this operation.
Lucas commanded:
"From now on, we go to… take down the ultra-colossal monsters!"
Flap-!
The large sails on the masts of the Blue Pearl, an airship in the form of a pirate ship, were fully unfurled.
"Alright, let's go!"
The two captains — the Rompeller siblings — who had drawn their weapons at the bow, commanded.
"Full speed ahead!"
"It's whale hunting time-!"
Whoosh-!
Blue wind generated from the magical anchor shot out from behind.
The airship, launched like a rocket, instantly increased its speed.
Instead of the Jolly Roger with a skull, it flew the black flag without insignia, the symbol of the World Guardian Front, as the airship rapidly advanced southward.
In an instant, they approached the vanguard of the monster horde.
The scouts observing the ground through telescopes shouted one after another:
"We've reached the drop point!"
"Now-!"
Lucas ordered.
"Violet, King Poseidon! Deploy!"
Violet and King Poseidon were already seated in the saddles behind the griffins.
Two elite Sky Knights — Mikhail's two wives — were ready to sortie with them.
Lucas nodded briefly.
"Good luck."
Those departing nodded back simultaneously.
"Good luck!"
Thwack!
Two griffins carrying two knights and two monster tamers kicked off from the deck and soared into the sky,
Swooooosh-!
The next moment, they began a rapid descent towards the ground.
As the two griffin riders approached the ground, the monsters on the ground quickly noticed their presence and attempted to intercept.
Bang! Bang! Boom…!
Flames, poison, magical projectiles, and beams of light poured out chaotically.
But the two griffin riders were the most skilled among the Sky Knights, and the griffins were also the strongest and most agile individuals.
The two griffins spread out and performed all sorts of aerial acrobatics, avoiding all interception attempts as they continued their rapid descent.
Among them, the griffin carrying Violet approached the elephant-like monster — Behemoth. Its body was so huge that it was like a moving mountain range, and thus very tall.
The Sky Knight looked back, and Violet nodded.
"I'll definitely come to pick you up."
"I'll trust you, sis-!"
Violet, after gulping hard once, closed her eyes tightly and threw herself out of the saddle.
"Waaaaaaah!"
The wind brushing past her ears made a sharp metallic sound. The intense wind pressure was so strong that it was difficult to even open her eyes properly without using magic.
"Sorry to say this to the acting commander, but it's still hard to feel like a crisis…"
As she free-fell towards Behemoth's head, Violet honestly blurted out.
"It just doesn't feel real at all!"
Buoooooo-!
Sensing something falling towards its head, Behemoth raised its enormous head. The monster's long trunk swung slowly but with tremendous force.
Violet grabbed Jörmungandr, which was coiled around her neck, with both hands. The snake, as if understanding her intention, smoothly unwound and settled in her hands.
"Jörmungandr!"
Violet shouted powerfully as she threw Jörmungandr downwards.
"Manifest-!"
Then the thrown serpent's entire body glowed with an ashen light-
Flash!
In an instant, it transformed into a gigantic world serpent.
The enormous snake that appeared in the sky gently extended its tail to catch Violet,
Then opened its huge mouth wide and firmly caught Behemoth's swinging long trunk.
And with that, it fell onto the elephant's body.
Boom…!
As the two ultra-colossal monsters collided, an explosion sounded and dust billowed up in the area.
Shockwaves spread in all directions, and the small monsters marching forward all lost their balance and tumbled down.
The second griffin rider, flying past the scene of this collision, flew even lower.
Part of the dry winter land had turned into a swamp due to heavy rain and flooding.
And at the forefront of this swamp, a huge crocodile-like monster — Leviathan — was slowly swimming forward.
Continuously spewing rain from its body…
"I don't think there was such a scene even in the mythical age."
King Poseidon mused as he kicked off the griffin's saddle and fell.
"No… Today is a new chapter in mythology."
Delighted at the fact that his name would be etched into a line of history, King Poseidon focused his power on the ring.
"Kraken!"
He felt the writhing malice dwelling in the ring.
But King Poseidon skillfully controlled that malice.
He had already faced even greater malice, and moreover…
"We are children of the same sea!"
This monster, too, was from the same world.
An ally who wants to prevent this world from being destroyed!
"Summon-!"
Flash!
Countless magic circles overlapped behind King Poseidon, and a giant cephalopod creature passed through those magic circles like a door.
Guoooooo-!
The Kraken, the strongest sea monster to reveal itself to the world, carried King Poseidon on its body and fell straight towards Leviathan.
Large, thick tentacles poured down like heavy rain onto the crocodile-shaped ultra-colossal monster.
Leviathan couldn't avoid it.
Boom…!
The entire swamp exploded, spewing black and enormous water spray in all directions.
While four ultra-colossal monsters began clashing on the ground.
The Blue Pearl, continuing its flight, now reached right in front of the eagle monster, Ziz.
And to take down the flying eagle-type ultra-colossal monster, Ziz…
It was time for Lucas and Mikhail to sortie.
"Are you ready, Acting Commander?"
Mikhail, who had already mounted his griffin, smiled brightly.
"Ready to cut the sky."
"I've already cut the darkest night."
Lucas, who had lightly mounted the back seat behind Mikhail, answered dryly.
"Cutting the sky should be nothing."
"Haha…!"
Mikhail, letting out a light laugh, glared at the approaching ultra-colossal monster with his crimson eyes.
"Still, to make it a bit easier to cut, I'll give it a scratch or two."
"It's an honor to fight alongside Vermillion's finest Sky Knight."
"That's my line. Empire's Finest Sword."
Mikhail said jokingly, but at that title, Lucas suddenly caught his breath.
Empire's Finest Sword.
Once, to reclaim that title, his family had been so obsessed and tried so hard…
In the end, he reclaimed that title now, when he had been living completely forgetting that such a title even existed.
"…"
A faint smile appeared on Lucas's lips.
Mikhail, gripping his twin spears firmly, started the griffin.
"Well then, shall we go! Let's show a collaboration that will be recorded in history — Everblack's finest sword and Vermillion's finest wings!"
Thwack-!
The king's griffin kicked off from the deck, spread its two wings wide, and leapt at a dazzling speed.
Towards the overwhelmingly huge eagle pouring into view right before them…
Without retreating, they charged straight ahead to meet it.
Chapter 794
The eagle-type ultra-colossal monster, Ziz.
This monster had the ability to monopolize the sun's light and heat by covering the sky, and turn it into its own power.
Grooooowl…!
The red and yellow feathers covering the monster's back all stood up stiffly.
With the power of solar heat and light it had gathered so far, the giant bird was transforming its body into a new form.
Whoosh!
Heat and light rippled and spread across the entire body of the giant bird.
It was like a giant bird of flame.
The overwhelming heat and light pouring from the monster's huge body made it feel as if the sun itself was right before their eyes.
Towards this giant phoenix, Mikhail and Lucas were still charging forward without hesitation.
Their appearance looked as foolish as Icarus flying towards the sun.
"If you don't have the courage to touch the sun…"
But because the griffin's wings were connected by solid muscle, not wax, and Mikhail's destination was set by conviction, not recklessness.
"How can you fly in the sky-!"
This was not a fool's leap, but a hero's challenge.
Flash!
Light scattered from Ziz's entire body covered in flames, and the next moment, condensed light and heat poured out in the form of beams.
And Mikhail's griffin avoided all those beams of light completely.
Whoosh-!
Using the new saddle [Thousand-Li Rider] received from Ash to accelerate instantaneously. (TL Note: Li is a traditional Chinese unit of distance. It's equivalent to 500 meters.)
Maintaining an even faster speed than usual, moving horizontally, vertically, folding wings to spin around, then spreading wings to rapidly ascend and descend repeatedly.
With intricate movements and flight, he avoided all the interceptions of the mythical age monster pouring down incessantly without allowing even a single hit.
At the end of this dizzying acrobatic flight, the griffin rider succeeded in approaching very close to the giant eagle's head.
"I am Mikhail Vermillion, King of the Vermillion Kingdom!"
Mikhail declared, emitting a dazzling crimson light from the magic spears held in each hand.
"I am the ruler of the skies in this era!"
"…!"
"Return to where you once slept, wings of the past-!"
Just as Mikhail, rapidly approaching, was about to thrust his magic spears into the monster's neck, the giant eagle's beak opened wide.
Kyaaaaaaah-!
An enormous roar burst forth.
Due to the sound waves imbued with heat, Mikhail couldn't approach closely and had to urgently retreat, driving his griffin back.
But even while making an emergency evasive maneuver to withdraw his body, Mikhail had a smile on his face.
"You're too late, monster…!"
There were no longer any spears in Mikhail's hands.
Swoooosh!
From the closest possible approach to the monster, he had thrown them like javelins.
Scattering crimson magical power along their trajectory, the two magic spears flew through the sky like missiles-
Thunk!
Thunk-!
They lodged in the giant eagle's neck.
Not content with just lodging, they propelled themselves with magical power from their spear tips, pushing the entire spears in up to their ends.
Splurt…!
Mikhail's crimson magical power and the monster's blood scattered in all directions.
"I've made a scratch!"
Watching this scene, Mikhail shouted.
"Show your skill, Empire's Finest Sword-!"
"…?!"
Ziz's two eyes, bewildered by the pain of the foreign objects lodged in its neck, urgently looked upward.
Because something else was accurately flying towards its head.
Whoosh!
It was a knight grasping a sword of light in each hand, his body wrapped in a golden aura.
Lucas had long since kicked off the griffin's saddle and soared into the sky, moving separately from Mikhail.
The knight's body, drawing a gentle parabola, fell straight onto the giant bird's head.
"Kyaaaah…!"
And for the first time today, Ziz changed the direction of its body.
With the toughness peculiar to ultra-colossal monsters and innate arrogance, it had not changed direction no matter what attacked from the front, but…
Because it sensed an indescribably eerie premonition from this small human swordsman rushing towards it.
Ziz tried to twist its huge body to change direction. Just the violent movement of the giant bird's wings caused gusts in the area and scattered distant clouds.
"Don't bother."
But Lucas didn't care in the slightest.
"You're already within my range."
The golden air currents rippling around Lucas's body due to the [Full-Body Descent] effect gathered behind his back, forming a golden halo-
The next moment it turned white-hot and expelled propulsive force forward.
Whoosh-!
Towards the monster's neck, which was trying somehow to turn its huge body to avoid him, Lucas effortlessly kept pace.
"Kyaaaaaaah!"
Finally, Ziz spewed light beams from its entire body as a last desperate attack against Lucas, but
Lucas lightly extended his two swords forward, instead absorbing the pouring light beams through the blades.
"I'll put it to good use."
Simultaneously landing on the monster's neck, the knight's two longswords struck down the two magic spears already lodged there like wedges.
As the two magic spears completely burrowed into the monster's neck, carving a devastating gash in the giant bird's neck, the two longswords followed, digging into that gash.
Slice…!
Following Lucas's movements, the two longswords lightly cut the monster's neck and emerged again.
Lucas's longswords looked too short compared to the monster's huge neck. It seemed like they had only made a very small wound.
Nevertheless, Lucas leapt sideways as if he had completed his mission.
Mikhail, flying in right beside him, skillfully caught Lucas and seated him behind himself. Mikhail asked, looking at Ziz's still intact state.
"Was it not enough?"
"No."
Lucas calmly sheathed his two longswords.
"I cut it."
The next moment.
A long crack appeared on the giant eagle's neck, then blood seeped out along that gap and…
Rip-!
The huge head was cleanly severed and fell.
When the two swords dug into the monster's neck, Lucas had wrapped the blades in a slash of light and magical power, and in an instant, cut the monster's neck with the enlarged blades.
The decapitated eagle's head slowly fell downwards. The monster's two eyes, shocked to the end, looked at Mikhail and Lucas with disbelieving eyes.
"Haha!"
The two magic spears flying back through the sky were retrieved into Mikhail's hands. Bursting into a pleased laugh, Mikhail waved his hand towards the approaching Blue Pearl.
Another griffin rider was already carrying the Dullahan Legion Commander and the Banshee Legion Commander.
Thud-!
Before Ziz's huge body lost balance, the Dullahan Legion Commander's head attached to Ziz's severed neck.
"Hmm, another grotesque appearance this time…"
The Dullahan Legion Commander, who had instantly seized control of Ziz's body, muttered.
The Dullahan Legion Commander moved Ziz's huge legs to catch the falling decapitated head.
The Banshee Legion Commander, who had somehow moved along Ziz's leg to beside the severed head, placed her hand on the giant head.
Then the giant bird's two eyes, which had been losing the light of life, widened, and a beautiful singing voice burst out from between its beak.
"This is always what we do, isn't it~"
Seeing this bizarre sight, Mikhail unknowingly broke out in cold sweat, but Lucas didn't even blink.
"Legion Commanders, I leave the rest of the operation to you both."
"Leave it to us."
"To be able to howl on the stage of the sky to my heart's content, hehe…"
Ziz's huge body slowly turned, and eventually completely reversed direction.
"Such an opportunity won't come twice!"
And, it vigorously flapped its wings towards the other flying monsters following behind.
Countless beams of light shot out from the giant bird's enormous wings, and the head held in its feet continuously spewed out sound waves.
The remaining flying monsters advancing towards Crossroad through the sky began to fall en masse, swept up in that attack.
At the same time, on the ground.
Boom!
Shaking and splitting the earth's axis, Behemoth and Jörmungandr were clashing.
Buooooo-!
Roaring like an elephant, Behemoth repeatedly tried to trample Jörmungandr with its huge body.
Though it had no other special abilities, Behemoth was a disaster in itself with this overwhelming size and mass incomparable to any other monster.
Every time it rolled its foot, the terrain changed. Mountains collapsed, rivers surged.
Small monsters even slightly close to the ground were obliterated without leaving a trace, and even medium to large monsters were crushed and fell.
However, Jörmungandr was also the World Encircler. The Earthquake Bringer.
Its body is hard enough to crush the hardest rock and twist the strongest earth veins.
At least when it comes to physical collisions on the ground, it doesn't yield to any opponent.
Jörmungandr narrowly avoided Behemoth's foot rolls and endured the shockwaves with its body, climbing up Behemoth's body while trying to break and crush it.
With the collision of the two ultra-colossal monsters, severe earthquakes and dust waves like tsunamis rose in the area.
"Kyaaaah! Waaaah!"
In this process, Violet was having a hellish time.
"An ant's back breaks in a whale fight!"
With the constant barrage of dirt bombs and shockwaves bursting from all directions, Violet couldn't even tell where she was.
Whether it was good luck, or whether this too was all under Crown Prince Ash's calculations, she didn't know.
Thanks to the [Dragon Scale Cloak] she had been given before this battle, she was able to maintain her balance even on the rampaging monster's body.
Due to the equipment's special effect, claws would suddenly protrude from her shoes and gloves, allowing her to cling to walls and run on them. And the high defense of the [Dragon Scale Cloak] kept her body intact.
At least, so far.
'The time limit must be ending soon?!'
Jörmungandr could only manifest as the 'World Serpent' for about 10 minutes.
It's the effect of the special equipment [Shell of the Old God]. When the duration ends, it shrinks to about the size of a python. They only have 10 minutes to fight.
Instead, Behemoth has an innate weakness.
If it falls even once, it can never get up again. This was a weakness due to its extremely large and heavy body.
Even in actual ancient historical records, there's a legend that Behemoth accidentally stumbled, fell on its side, and starved to death, becoming the mountain range in the western part of the continent.
So, Jörmungandr, with only 10 minutes of battle duration, had to squeeze out all its power during this time, aiming to topple Behemoth at least once within 10 minutes, but…
'How much time is left now?!'
Desperately clinging to something, Violet screamed ugly shrieks.
Forget the remaining time, she was dizzy about where she was now, or even who she was. Help…
"Huh?"
That's when it happened. Suddenly everything around became quiet.
Violet looked around, spitting out the dust in her mouth.
And she could finally realize what the situation was now.
"…!"
It was pinned down.
Jörmungandr was.
One of Behemoth's ten huge legs had finally succeeded in stepping on Jörmungandr's agile tail tip.
"Buooooo…!"
Behemoth roared fiercely and put strength into its foot,
"Chiruruk?!"
Jörmungandr, in pain, had to give up climbing and coiling around Behemoth's neck and fall to the ground.
Crack, crack…!
Starting from where Behemoth had stepped on it, Jörmungandr's scales began to shatter.
Jörmungandr tried to endure, but Behemoth's other legs also succeeded in trampling Jörmungandr's body one by one.
"Shaaaak…!"
Jörmungandr twisted its body in agony. The World Serpent repeatedly spat out blood violently.
"Buooooo-!"
Behemoth let out a roar. It was a proud and loud cry, as if sensing victory.
And.
"Eck…?"
Violet was watching all of this.
"Huh, huh…?"
From atop Behemoth's head.
"Why… am I here…?"
Probably during the fierce battle, just before when Jörmungandr had coiled around Behemoth's neck.
When the battle was most intense, the terrified Violet had closed her eyes tightly and crawled around, ending up here…
That's when it happened. Violet's eyes, blinking in bewilderment, suddenly met Jörmungandr's far below.
Jörmungandr's yellow eyes were clearly looking at Violet.
Only then did Violet snap to her senses.
"…Ah, whatever!"
Whether this situation was Jörmungandr's intention, or her own good fortune, what did it matter?
The enemy monster's weak point was right in front of her!
Violet placed both hands on Behemoth's huge head and used her ultimate skill.
"[Daydream]-!"
Chapter 795
Boom!
As the giant crocodile monster and octopus monster — Leviathan and Kraken — collided, the surrounding ground burst apart, and an enormous amount of water gushed out from the underground water veins exposed below.
Leviathan possessed the authority to control such water flows, so it raised several water tornadoes to attack the Kraken.
Though the Kraken was a sea monster, it lacked the ability to control water. Instead,
"Hnngh-!"
King Poseidon, riding atop the Kraken, had such power.
With the authority over waves he possessed as the Merfolk King, King Poseidon controlled opposing water streams to counteract Leviathan's water streams.
And under this curtain of water bombs and monsoon rains, the Kraken was approaching Leviathan closely, extending its long tentacles.
Leviathan opened its long mouth filled with endless sharp teeth, trying to swallow the Kraken in one gulp, but-
Slap!
The Kraken stretched out countless tentacles, tightly wrapping around Leviathan's mouth before it could open. The crocodile monster's long mouth was forcibly closed.
The two monsters, entangled in this state, rolled violently over the swamp. They rolled their bodies, struggling with all their might to gain the upper position, and each time, the ground exploded and water spray rose.
Not only the small and medium-sized monsters caught in the range, but even large monsters were crushed to a pulp and died.
'They're fighting evenly for now, but the Kraken is being pushed back!'
King Poseidon gritted his teeth as he assisted the Kraken.
Though both were monsters that lived in water, this swamp terrain was a bit more advantageous for Leviathan.
The Kraken was ultimately a sea monster. While it could fully exert its power swimming freely in the vast ocean, Leviathan was unhindered whether in swamps or rivers.
From the start, since Leviathan itself had the ability to cause floods and turn any place into a water-filled area… paradoxically, it could fully exert its abilities anywhere, be it a desert or snowy mountain.
The battle situation gradually became favorable for Leviathan.
Poseidon, having already passed on his authority as a racial deity, was also struggling to intercept the water streams Leviathan was shooting out.
'At this rate…!'
Just as King Poseidon sensed defeat and gritted his teeth.
Buoooo…!
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the heads of Leviathan and Kraken locked in fierce combat.
As the two monsters momentarily stopped fighting to look in that direction…
"…?!"
It was falling.
The giant elephant — Behemoth.
Right on top of where the two aquatic monsters were battling!
"What…!"
In Poseidon's startled eyes, he saw Violet screaming far away on top of Behemoth's head.
Violet had used her ultimate skill [Daydream], successfully infiltrating Behemoth's consciousness and making it lose balance.
Though Leviathan and Kraken were ultra-colossal monsters far surpassing the scale of ordinary large monsters, Behemoth was a being with an exceptionally huge body even among ultra-colossal monsters.
It was truly like an entire mountain range falling on their heads.
'This can't be avoided-'
Just as King Poseidon was bracing for impact.
"…?!"
Along with the sense of a terrifying evil aura spreading, his skin crawled all over with goosebumps.
King Poseidon, bewildered, urgently looked to the side…
There she was.
On top of the mountain of corpses of other monsters swept up in the battle of the ultra-colossal monsters.
The 'Sleepless Lake Princess' looking up emotionlessly at the falling Behemoth heading towards her.
"…"
Massive darkness gathered in the woman's hand, then shaped into a long sword. The darkness within the sword condensed and condensed endlessly.
And the 'Sleepless Lake Princess' lightly swung that sword upwards.
…
For a moment, King Poseidon felt as if sound had been cut off from the world.
But it wasn't sound that had been cut.
It was the world.
Riiiiip!
As sound rapidly returned, the world tore apart simultaneously.
The single stroke that the 'Sleepless Lake Princess' swung lightly split the massive body of the falling Behemoth in half, left and right.
No, it wasn't just Behemoth.
The sky and earth where that sword path was drawn — split apart as well.
The ground cracked and red-hot lava erupted, while the clouds remaining in the sky completely evaporated.
It was transcendental violence.
And, through the split sky, pitch-black otherworldly darkness seeped in…
"…?!"
Something white writhed and filled that gap.
The white things pushed each other frantically, fighting, and then something round spun on top of the white bodies, focusing…
Tack.
It 'saw' below.
Only then did King Poseidon realize.
They were eyes.
The white was the whites of eyes. The round things were pupils.
Countless eyes, indescribably huge and simultaneously filled with evil intent…
Were staring directly only at the 'Sleepless Lake Princess'.
"What is that…"
King Poseidon, who had been muttering in bewilderment, snapped back to his senses immediately after.
"Buoooooo…!"
Behemoth, split in half, let out a miserable scream as it completely collapsed to the ground.
The earth, already split by the sword of darkness, shattered completely with a tremendous impact, and Leviathan and Kraken could not escape its aftermath.
Boom!
The world collapsed.
Shh. Shh.
Violet's eyebrows twitched at the sound of hissing nearby.
"Mmm…"
Shh. Shh.
Then the hissing sound gradually got closer…
Lick.
Something moist licked Violet's cheek.
"Eeeeeek!"
Violet sat up abruptly, letting out an ugly scream.
"Wha-what! What just… Oh, Jörmungandr. It's you."
Right beside Violet was Jörmungandr, shrunk to about the size of a python, flicking its tongue.
As Violet came to her senses and looked around, she was in some crevice of the hideously collapsed ground. It seemed she had rolled down into a gap in the valley created by the splitting earth.
"How did this area end up in this state…? It's a miracle I'm alive."
Though Jörmungandr had safely caught Violet as she fell with its body, Violet, who didn't remember at all, clicked her tongue.
Jörmungandr, squinting its eyes, also clicked its tongue in response. Shh shh.
"Let's look around for now… Come here, Jörmungandr!"
With Jörmungandr coiled around her neck, Violet activated the special function of the [Dragon Scale Cloak] to generate claws on her gloves and shoes, easily climbing up the valley.
And the first sight that met Violet's eyes as she crawled up to the ground was…
"…?!"
The huge corpse of Behemoth, split in half and dead.
And the 'Sleepless Lake Princess' standing atop it.
When the ultra-colossal monster, like a huge mountain range, was cut in half and died, a thick red mist had settled in the area due to the blood pouring from its cross-section.
The avatar of nightmares standing aloof in this red mist had her hand stretched out towards the sky, and in the direction her fingertip was pointing…
"Gruk, grrrrruk!"
Leviathan and Kraken were flailing about, floating in the air as if grabbed by the collar, unable to breathe.
Though not as much as Behemoth, Leviathan and Kraken were also ultra-colossal monsters of unbelievable size for single living beings.
However, the 'Sleepless Lake Princess' had lifted the two monsters as lightly as if picking up cotton balls with an invisible force.
"…"
And, as the 'Sleepless Lake Princess' lightly clenched her hand.
Crunch!
Leviathan's huge body floating in the air was instantly compressed, then tore apart and burst, spraying blood in all directions.
"This can't be…"
Violet unknowingly muttered.
Though Violet had faced even Night Bringer on the battlefield, she could tell because of that. The woman before her eyes was on a completely different level.
This was not an enemy that could be defeated by fighting.
There was no chance of victory…!
"…"
As the 'Sleepless Lake Princess' lightly shook her clenched hand to the side, the ultra-colossal monster Leviathan, once the master of floods and monsoons, was discarded like trash, transformed into mere compressed meat.
Next, the 'Sleepless Lake Princess' turned her gaze to the other captured ultra-colossal monster — the Kraken.
King Poseidon was also caught and flailing atop the Kraken's head.
"…!"
The moment she confirmed this.
Activating the invisibility magic imbued in the [Dragon Scale Cloak], Violet was already running forward.
'No, what am I doing?!'
In contrast to her body rushing forward without hesitation, her mind was instantly filled with all sorts of anguish.
'Why am I playing the hero again when it doesn't suit me…?!'
No, no.
It's the opposite now. This is who she is.
If she did nothing while seeing an ally in danger, that would no longer be Violet.
Because she's already that kind of person…!
'Really, it's so ridiculous… '
Swallowing curses inwardly, Violet deployed her illusion field at full power.
'Oh, look who's become a saint!'
After using the 'Wish-Granting Pearl' before, Violet had broken her limits and become the highest level illusion magic user possible for a human.
With the illusion field enveloping the surroundings used by such a person, plus the highest-level invisibility magic provided by the [Dragon Scale Cloak].
In the best stealth state possible for a human, Violet rushed to save King Poseidon and…
Swish-
The next moment, her eyes met those of the 'Sleepless Lake Princess', who had suddenly turned to look this way.
'Huh?'
Feeling as if all the blood was draining from her body, Violet swallowed with a pale face.
'This can't be, this level of stealth could fool even that black dragon for a few seconds… '
Clang-!
The next moment. When Violet blinked once.
The illusion field, the invisibility magic, everything shattered completely and scattered in all directions, leaving only magical particles.
The 'Sleepless Lake Princess' pointed her index finger at Violet, who had stopped in the middle of running. Violet sensed it.
This is,
Death.
'Ah, really. That's what I get for meddling unnecessarily… '
Violet, resigned to death, squeezed her eyes shut.
'I stuck my nose where it didn't belong, so I guess I have no choice but to die. Oh well. Goodbye, world! It was a pretty good life!'
…
But, Violet didn't die.
'Huh?'
When Violet opened her eyes slightly in confusion.
She realized that the 'Sleepless Lake Princess's' gaze was directed not at her, but above her head.
Swoooosh!
The ultra-colossal monster in the form of a giant eagle. Ziz.
The Dullahan Legion Commander and Banshee Legion Commander, who had taken over its body, were descending towards the ground, roaring without restraint.
"We are your opponents, Princess!"
"You'd better cover your ears tightly-!"
The Dullahan Legion Commander skillfully gathered the sunlight and solar heat dwelling in Ziz's body,
Flash-!
And the Banshee Legion Commander transformed that gathered power into sharp waveforms and poured it out.
The 'Sleepless Lake Princess' opened her outstretched hand. Then massive darkness gathered before her, forming a square shield.
Whoosh…!
Though it was an attack that poured out all the power remaining in Ziz's body at once, it couldn't even scratch the 'Sleepless Lake Princess's' defense.
However.
Guooooo!
In this fleeting moment, not missing that the force binding it had weakened, the Kraken unraveled the bonds of darkness and lunged at the 'Sleepless Lake Princess'.
Because Violet had stepped forward overcoming her fear, they were able to steal a few seconds from the 'Sleepless Lake Princess'.
With that few seconds difference, Ziz was able to descend to the ground and pour out an attack imbued with the power of the sun at the 'Sleepless Lake Princess'.
To block this attack that was elementally opposed to her, the 'Sleepless Lake Princess' had to gather all the darkness she could use.
And in that gap, King Poseidon and the Kraken were freed and attempted a final counterattack.
It was a miraculous momentary opening that appeared because everyone staked their lives and attempted the best cooperation possible.
And the moment the tip of the tentacle the Kraken thrust out touched the 'Sleepless Lake Princess'.
The moment it pierced inside the endless otherworldly darkness enveloping the Princess's body,
"Guo, oh…?!"
Instantly, the Kraken's entire body swelled up like a balloon,
Rip-
Boom!
It burst apart in all directions like a balloon touched by a needle tip.
"What…"
Amidst the monster's bodily fluids and flesh raining down, King Poseidon looked at the ring on his finger with bewildered eyes.
The [Ring of the Kraken] cracked wide open, then the next moment it turned completely to powder and was destroyed.
"What?!"
"What is this-"
Faced with this sight, the Dullahan Legion Commander and Banshee Legion Commander who had taken over Ziz's body let out bewildered groans.
Swish-
Thunk.
The next moment. The darkness that the 'Sleepless Lake Princess' had transformed from a shield to a sword was lodged in Ziz's chest.
"Huh?"
"Wait, a sec…"
Right after the two monster Legion Commanders' dying words.
Rip-!
Ziz's entire body burst apart from where the sword was lodged.
The darkness that had filled its interior poured out like flooding, tearing the monster's entire body to shreds.
"…"
In the heavy silence that followed the ear-splitting explosion.
Violet blankly raised her eyes to look up at the being before her.
Atop the scattered flesh of monsters, amidst the hellish scene of severed tentacles and bodily fluids, burst feathers raining down.
Having slaughtered all the ultra-colossal monsters that had descended to the mortal world, standing alone and noble…
Connected through the split sky to the gazes of countless Outer Gods.
The avatar of nightmares, the 'Sleepless Lake Princess', creakily like a marionette, slowly gripped her sword of darkness anew.
There stood the destruction of this world.