Volume 4 Chapter 8.4
Risking One's Life Till One Burns Up Part 4
Translator : PolterGlast
Nozomu's eyes widen at
the unexpected arrival of these helpers, forgetting Tiamat's resentment echoing
in his head, as Mars and the others rushed toward the huge tree at the center
of the barrier at once.
[...... I see, so you
guys forced your way through the erosion layer of the barrier while protecting
yourself by layering the golem with the power of the spirit and the magic of
the Tima Lime. But how did you figure out the structure of this barrier?]
The method used by
Mars and the others to break through the Predatory Barrier was simple and
clear: they built a golem to protect themselves, entered into it, and kept
pouring in magic power and source elements to reinforce it, while
simultaneously breaking through.
Such a forceful
method, they would not have been able to pull it off unless they had a grasp of
the structure of this predatory Barrier.
[Well, if it were
Jihad who came, then that would be one thing, but what's the point of having a
bunch of guys like you coming here?]
Ken, with a dubious
look on his face, unleashed [Icicle Dance] on Mars and the others' backs.
"I won't let
you!"
However, while Ken's
attention was momentarily focused on Mars and the others, Nozomu intervened.
Numerous sword flashes
were unleashed. A storm of [Mikagura-style・One Billion Severance] obliterated every single one of
Ken's [Icicle Dance].
Ken frowned in
displeasure at Nozomu's action.
"Thanks,
Nozomu."
"I guess this earring
is still useful."
The earring still
shining in Nozomu's ear. It was used for telepathic communication during the
last sewer operation. With this, Razward and the others were able to grasp the
situation and structure within the Predatory Barrier.
Originally, this magic
used a large-scale altar and a spell, which was necessary because a large
number of people were communicating at the same time. However, a single mage
was enough to share the conversation and vision of a single person.
"Haaaa!"
While Mars and Nozomu
had their backs to each other, Irisdina, who had rushed to the base of the huge
jet-black tree, used her [Magic Sword・Lunar Eclipse], to chop off the bark of the tree, freeing the restrained
Lisa and the others.
The cuts in the tree
soon began to seal up, but Irisdina, Feo, and Razward took advantage of the
opportunity to rescue the three immobile people from the huge jet-black tree
and pulled them away.
"T-Thank you. You
saved us."
[Shi-jou, I'm glad
you're okay...... Well, shall we begin then?]
"Nozomu, sorry,
but I need you to hold him up."
After confirming that
Lisa and the others had evacuated, Mars suddenly pulled out the great sword he
carried on his back. The simple steel sword he has been using for many years.
However, it looked somewhat different from the previous one.
"That great
sword......"
"I had Tom
tweaked it a bit. I didn't think I'd be using it so soon, though."
Countless formulas
were engraved on the sword's body. The geometric patterns, which were probably
carved with a chisel, gave off a dull sheen on the belly of the worn-out
greatsword.
[......You intend to
destroy the center of the barrier, huh? That's impossible. It has the same
erosive layer as the barrier, and if I wanted to, I could absorb anything that
came into contact with it, no matter what it was. It is not something that can
be destroyed with your meager strength.]
The jet-black tree
trembled and began to emit a black miasma from its entire body.
"Ugh, my
strength......."
A strong sense of
weakness struck Irisdina and the others who were standing by the tree. The
[Magic Sword・Lunar Eclipse] that
she had been maintaining also instantly dissipated. The girls hurriedly moved
away from the tree, while Mars and the others squinted their eyes as they saw
this.
"I see. Indeed,
it seems impossible for us to destroy this core on our own. But ...... oi,
little bird."
[I've got a little
present for you. You're hungry, right? I'll feed you plenty!]
The lapis
lazuli-colored little bird glowed. Instantly, a tremor shook the entire
barrier. The ground trembled, followed by several ripples spreading across the
pitch-black sky. It was as if gravel had been thrown into the water.
[Attacks from outside?
Is it Jihad and the others?
But no matter how much
Qi-jutsu or magic they unleash, it will only benefit me.]
[Are you sure about
that?]
While Ken frowned at
Razward's confident words, Mars followed up.
"It's not just
magic. At the same time, we're overloading your entire barrier by pouring a
large amount of source elements into the control mechanism of the City
Isolation Barrier."
[No matter how
gluttonous you are, it is not easy to control the power flowing in from the
dragon veins that rival the Nebula Forest. Twenty years ago, the Abyss Grief
did not show itself at all until the dragon veins were completely under its
control.]
"So, the power
that could not be fully absorbed naturally continues to accumulate in this
central area. With the source elements being pushed beyond its upper limit,
what would happen if we lit a little fire to it?"
A chill ran down Ken's
spine. He noticed that the large tree, the center of the barrier, was beginning
to glow so brightly that its jet-black trunk was becoming transparent. It was
completely unable to process the source elements it had absorbed and was now
left totally overwhelmed.
Naturally, it would be
impossible for the tree to demonstrate its original erosion ability in such a
situation.
Meanwhile, Mars
lowered his waist and readied his greatsword.
He activated his
[Qi-jutsu・Wind Blade]. Then he
proceeded to pour his magic power into the technique engraved on the
greatsword. The geometric patterns emitted light, and a whirlwind that was
generated clung to the [Wind Blade].
[~......!]
"I won't let
you!"
Driven by rising
urgency, Ken launched his serpentine sword toward Mars' back.
But Nozomu intercepted
it.
Amidst the sound of
the violent clashes at his back, Mars shut his eyes and focused his attention
on the two raging winds.
(Finally, I can repay
my debt to Nozomu, at least a little bit.)
Sensing the two
opposing storms, clashing and scattering sparks with every fiber of his being,
he counted in his mind, "one, two, three, four" ...... and waited for
the right moment to arrive.
The winds that were
struggling against each other calmed down for a moment. At that moment, Mars
released the wind he had been suppressing.
[Qi-jutsu・Rift Wind Hammer]. [Intermediate Magic・Wind Tunnel of the Hungry Beast]. The two intertwined
winds sprinted forward, shattering Mars' treasured greatsword. The power of the
winds was close to that of Jihad's [Qi-jutsu・Single Strike].
[Magic-Qi Combination
Technique・Maelstorm of
Explosion].
The tree, which had
its predatory ability overwhelmed, was confronted with a raging tornado, and
its trunk screeched as it flickered erratically.
Then, once a single
crack appeared in its bark, it quickly spread to the rest of the tree trunk.
[Wha......!]
Immediately afterward,
a dazzling flash of light burst forth, and the huge jet-black tree collapsed,
scattering shockwaves. At the same time, the Predatory Barrier crumbled from the
inside. The black ceiling shattered and the starry sky returned.
"Did I
succeed?"
"As expected of
you Mars......."
With the collapse of
the Predatory Barrier, Jihad and the others also came in. Inda and Anri
protected Lisa and the others who had been captured in the core of the barrier
and made them retreat, while Jihad and the others lined up next to Nozomu,
Mars, and the others.
In the midst of all
this, Ken was hunched over and groaning in agony.
[Aaagh, guh......!?]
"This
is......."
Ken's Spirit Armor
made of source elements crumbled, exposing his deformed body.
The rest of his body,
except for his face, had turned into an ugly black lump of flesh, and on it
were countless eyes with crimson irises that darted menacingly. The magic stone
embedded in his left chest was flickering irregularly and wriggling inside his
body like an insect crawling around. It was obvious that he was in pain.
[This guy, he's been
using the power he's absorbed through the Predatory Barrier without restraint.
He's being struck by the backlash now. Also, the demonic beast that had
assimilated with him has lost the opportunity to parasitize on the dragon
veins, and is desperately trying to escape.]
[Bastards, how dare
you!]
Ken, visibly enraged,
slashed at Razward and the others, but Nozomu immediately stepped forward and
parried Ken's blade. With the Predatory Barrier destroyed, the very foundation
of his power was shattered. Now outnumbered, Ken had no way to turn the tide.
"The battle is
over, Ken. You've lost."
[Not, not yet. Not
until I surpass you-...... ugh!?]
Nevertheless, Ken
refused to give up on defeating Nozomu, but suddenly he crouched down with a
pained expression on his face.
Along with the sound
of bursting flesh, his deformed body bloated. Amidst the horrifying noises,
numerous bumps protruded from his body, pressing against the eyes that were on
his skin.
Then, from within the
protruding bumps, countless facial features emerged.
[Run, run, run......!]
[Help me, help me,
help me, help me......!]
The faces of countless
beasts and one insect wailing in hoarse voices. Their survival instincts kicked
in, and they rampaged about in disorder, trying to escape the fetters made of
flesh.
[Gi......gu, aaah!]
For Ken, it felt like
being devoured from the inside out by countless parasites.
Body, mind, and soul.
All three were violated simultaneously, and the inaudible screams echoed
through the air.
[Ga, gi...... ~,
no-i-s-y! Shut up!]
[Gi......!?]
[Noo, I don't wanna
die, I don't wanna die.......]
But Ken brushed aside
the screams of the spirit and demonic beast that were still raging inside of
him.
He crushed the foreign
substances that were still squirming within him with his own will. At the same
time, the facial features disappeared. The source elements that had tinted
Ken's entire body black disappeared and only remained around the magic stone on
his left chest, and his voice also returned to normal.
"Haa, haa ......
Nozomu!"
After the spirit and
countless demonic beasts disappeared, Ken transformed all of his boiling
emotions into a murderous intent toward his enemy, and poured all of his
remaining strength into the long sword he was carrying as he stepped toward
Nozomu.
Perhaps it was the
final glow of his last moment, but surprisingly, his speed was on par with that
of when he had deployed his predatory warding.
"Ooooooooo!"
"Phew!"
As Ken closed in while
yelling, Nozomu also wielded his [Mumei], which was infused with Tiamat's
power.
Two blades collided.
The power of the spirit-eater and the dragon-slayer counterbalanced, repelled,
and scattered each other's elemental power contained in their weapons.
"I have always
envied you! You had all the love I ever wanted!"
Flashes and impacts
were repeatedly generated. Amid the fierce clashes, Ken's squeezed voice leaked
out.
The mask of rejection
peeled away, revealing his true feelings that had been hidden beneath.
"What are you on
about......!"
"There wasn't
much difference between you and me! We were both just weaklings who ran away to
our own convenient delusions!"
Ken was carried away
by the lie that he was special, and Nozomu turned his back on his escapism.
"We're both
humans with no real talents! A fool, who can only be deceived and used!"
Both Nozomu and Ken
were originally ordinary people. They had no special abilities, no special
talents, and they were both foolish, ordinary humans who clung to their own
beliefs.
They are no different
in that they both turned their backs on reality.
But what about the
reality?
Behind Nozomu, many
friends were watching over him.
Ken, on the other
hand, had nothing. He was truly empty.
A huge difference had
developed between the two of them.
He knew the
reason....... Because I couldn't take the hand that was extended to him.
"What was the
difference between you and me!?"
Still, he could not
help but scream.
Death was inevitable
now. The will of the demonic beast that had kept him alive was crushed. The
consciousness that kept him alive would soon disappear as well.
All that was left of
him was his wish to surpass Nozomu.
Letting out a pained
voice, Ken exerted his last ounce of strength. Burning away what little life
and will he had left. The long sword, infused with an enormous amount of source
elements, grew enormous, forming a sword several times the size of a human, far
larger than Jihad's Jaw Drop.
"Oooooooo!"
The gigantic elemental
sword was swung down with lightning speed.
It was essentially a
long sword with no physical substance, nothing but pure energy. The weightless,
deadly blade of death loomed in front of Nozomu in an instant, far beyond his
reach. Evasion was already impossible. If so, then.......
"............."
Nozomu quietly closed
his eyes in front of the rumbling sword that fell from the sky like lightning.
(Indeed. Neither, you
nor I, have changed......)
Before they knew it,
the three of them had all turned their backs on each other.
The past cannot be changed.
What was broken cannot be restored. Words have no meaning anymore.
All he can do is to
respond with his whole heart and soul.
At least, he wanted to
make his former best friend regret nothing more.
With this
determination in his heart, Nozomu responded with the greatest technique he
could unleash.
He strengthened his
stance to the extreme. Synchronized it with the movement of his entire body. If
the timing is off even for a moment, his body will be torn apart by this
double-edged technique.
[Phantom・Flash]
Mind, technique, and
body. A single, piercing strike that achieved by uniting all of these elements.
The strike, released
at a speed even faster than Ken's lightning-like strike, collided with the huge
Elemental Sword.
The rivalry was
short-lived. The Dragon Slayer's blade pierced into the Spirit-Eater's Blade
and shattered it in the blink of an eye.
With his most powerful
attack destroyed, Ken's face was visibly shaken, and Nozomu brought his left
hand forward while at the same time pointed the tip of his katana at his
opponent.
His stance was just
like drawing a bow. Aiming at Ken's left chest. Tiamat's source element was
poured into the blade once again, and the aim was set on the red, pulsating
magic stone.
[Mikagura-style・Core Piercing]
A combination of
[Phantom] and [One Billion Severance]. A sharp thrust that pierces the
opponent, and the bursting Qi-blades that gouges out its insides. On top of
that, he released it while carrying the power of the Dragon of Destruction.
"~!?"
Ken grabbed the thrust
that was heading for his heart with both of his blackened arms.
He wrapped Nozomu's
blade, which was ready to explode at any moment, in a vast amount of source
elements and tried to push it away.
The power of the
Dragon of Destruction and Spirit-Eater were competing against each other.
Because of their power that could annihilate their opponents, they continuously
struggle against each other.
"This time for
sure, I will-......!"
"Guuu......!"
The two were already
at their limits. Their bodies grew cold, and their vision turned gray. The
sensation of gripping one's weapon has already disappeared, and even the pain
is gone. Literally, a war of attrition for life. The result means death for
both sides, regardless of whether they win or lose.
Even so, neither of
them would yield to the other's will.
At that moment,
Nozomu's hand was gently supported by someone's hand from behind.
"Nozomu, thank
you."
A distant, familiar
voice. Nozomu turned his gaze to the side and saw Lisa staring at him with a
sad expression on her face and eyes full of determination.
"And Ken. I'm
sorry......"
Lisa put her hand on
[Mumei]'s hilt and activated her ability, [Enchantment of Nivea].
Instantly, Nozomu's
blade was extended twice its original length. The Dragon of Destruction's blade
instantly broke through the Spirit-Eater's source elements and pierced Ken's
chest.
"Ah......."
The magic stone
serving as a core was shattered, and power rapidly drained from Ken's body. The
black source elements that covered his body also peeled off and silently
vanished.
(Ah, in the end ......
I couldn't beat Nozomu, huh?)
Ken, who had lost all
his strength, fell to his knees and looked up at them, stunned. The two faces,
both with sadness in them, flashed into his eyes.
Suddenly, a scene from
his childhood came back to him. It was the time when they were talking about
their dreams under that lone pine tree.
(Ah, that reminds
me......)
The road that went on
forever. The three of them walked side by side, holding on to their hopes and
anxieties.
(That was the future
we were hoping for......)
Their first wish, and
dreams that will never be fulfilled. Seeing this last glimpse, Ken's
consciousness faded and vanished along with his envious resignation, a hint of
loneliness, and a smile of contentment.
End of Chapter 8
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