Ch.143Seal Release

# 1.

Just before the Black Wolf arrived.

The situation was nothing short of chaotic.

【Warning.】

【<Abyss(Ex+) – Fusion in Progress> activates its 1st skill – Annihilation.x100】

【Annihilation approaches.】

Endless waves of annihilation pouring down.

“Holy Maiden!!”

“Kugh, stop calling me that!!!”

The Black Wolf’s coordinated attack as it joined the fray.

【<Sacred Domain(Ex)> activates.】

Thanks to Selena’s precise judgment, they achieved maximum efficiency with minimal holy power consumption, but holy power was still a limited resource.

Yuria, her complexion noticeably pale, shouted to all allies.

“I really can only use it a few more times!!”

So everyone moved with everything they had.

“Vulcan, handle the small fragments!! Marine, block the larger ones while Asha finds an opening!!”

“Gardner’s shield is second to none in the world!!!”

“…So noisy.”

“Stop grumbling and focus, Marine!!”

Vulcan at the vanguard with Marine in support.

【<Iron Wall(SSS+)> activates!】

【8th Circle Grand Magic – <Blessing of the Tempest(SSS+)> activates!】

A brilliant holy sword flies toward the gap in the Abyss revealed by their efforts.

【<Primordial Light(Ex+)> activates!】

Crack!

At last, the black barrier protecting the Abyss crumbled, revealing a gap, and Castler and Luna wasted no time diving into it.

“What’s the plan, Castler!?”

“You support, I’ll take the lead.”

“Okay!!”

【Equipping 0th Mask – <Mother>!】

【Luna’s rank rises from <Luna(SSS+)> to <Luna(Ex-)>!】

Luna, now wearing the Mother mask, gestured in the air, creating ash-colored swords.

Crunch!

“Castler, now!!”

As she cleared a path by deflecting the sharp shadows flying toward them, Castler launched himself forward.

Crunch.

After barely squeezing through, he bit the back of his hand, drawing blood.

【<Blood Spear(Ex+)> activates.】

Crack!

The flowing blood transformed into a massive spear that flew toward the Abyss.

Clang!

However, it merely scratched the body fused with the Dragon Elder before dissipating.

Simultaneously, an ominous energy flooded the area.

【Stage 2 seal release in progress.】

【Releasing seal… 75%】

The Abyss.

A semi-divine being who had partially reached divinity, standing as a counterpoint to the Goddess.

However, after consistently losing in bets with the Goddess, the quality of its physical form had deteriorated.

No matter how great its power, it was useless without a body.

Thus, the weakened Abyss, preparing for its final bet, realized:

‘I need to restore my physical form.’

And not just any form… it needed something like an ancient species that wouldn’t easily break—a powerful existence.

The answer it found was the Dragon Elder.

Second only to Castler among individuals, but with physical durability far superior to Castler’s from the start.

It had chosen the Elder, destroyed him, and made his body its own.

And now.

【Abyss’s 2nd skill is unlocked.】

Having restored more than half of its lost physical power thanks to the Dragon Elder’s body.

“『Now I can finally use it.』”

The Abyss could now access some of its original power.

“『First, I’ll deal with… the annoying ones.』”

“…Ugh. What should we do, Castler?”

“…Die, I guess.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry. I should be able to come back to life…maybe?”

“What?”

That sinister power, now drawn closer to its true divine form, no longer used cautiously for fear of breaking its body—

【Warning.】

【<Abyss(???)>’s 2nd skill – <Obliteration(Ex+)> activates】

It was power on an entirely different level.

“…Cancel that, Yuria.”

“Wh-wh-what are you saying!?”

“Even I would die from that.”

“Stop talking nonsense and just run—!!”

Before Yuria could finish her sentence.

Crack.

The area where the Abyss had pointed its hand vanished as if it had never existed.

Distorted space,

Darkness so complete not even light reflected from it.

Selena, who had been watching through detection, only realized what happened after the crumpled space returned to normal.

‘It erased the space itself.’

A power that annihilates everything along with the space it occupies, regardless of any defense.

‘If that’s the case…’

If the being before them, the Abyss, could wield such unstoppable power.

What could they possibly do?

The ancient species Castler and Holy Maiden Yuria, gone in the blink of an eye.

A wave of helplessness washed over them.

Selena wasn’t the only one who felt it.

“……”

“……”

“…Gardner’s……”

The rest of the Light merely stood their ground, their fighting spirit broken.

But only for a moment.

“…He’ll come back.”

Asha, gritting her teeth, raised her holy sword and stepped toward the Abyss.

“Nahan… will come back.”

Just speaking his name, which she had barely heard before, calmed her anxiety, so Asha continued forward.

“Pull yourselves together and move. Don’t let their sacrifice be in vain.”

The Black Wolf Castler,

Holy Maiden Yuria.

Though they were enemies for a while…

【Usurpation – <Shadow Movement> activates.】

“Hey, we’re not dead, you know?”

A refreshing voice cutting through the chilling air.

“Right, Castler? We’re not dead, are we?”

“…Probably?”

“I’m not really sure… could you pinch me?”

Castler and Yuria rose from beneath Asha’s shadow.

Two more people followed them up.

One was Vice Captain Lactea.

The other was—

“…Good work, everyone.”

The long-awaited Nahan.

After gently setting down Lactea, whom he had been carrying, he declared to those gathered:

“Everyone, please step back.”

“…But Captain.”

“It’s fine, hurry.”

“……”

As Castler’s eyes met Nahan’s, he thought:

‘You found a way, didn’t you?’

Whether the person before them was originally the captain or not, his feelings toward them were genuine.

“I follow the Captain’s orders.”

Castler, showing proper respect, activated shadow movement to its maximum.

Asha was the first to react.

“W-wait!! I…!!”

We’ve only just reunited.

Thanks to you, I’ve finally come to my senses and started opening my heart to those around me.

I was beginning to understand what you meant by true happiness.

You saved us from the quagmire, so why are you returning to it alone?

Asha trailed off, looking at Nahan.

Hoping that, as always, he would understand without words and give a satisfactory answer.

But Nahan just waved his hand.

With a smile that seemed forced, unlike his usual gentle one.

“I’ll call for you when I’m done, so rest somewhere safe.”

And so he moved away from us.

Once again facing the Abyss.

Crack,

Crackle.

As its fusion rate increased, it gained freedom and moved from its fixed position.

“『You’re still you. No one has ever withstood obliteration before.』”

Nahan maintained his expressionless face as he approached, seemingly seeking conversation.

“I almost lost them again because of you.”

How many times had it been now?

Just now with Castler and Yuria,

Before that with Lactea,

And before that with the squad members, the Light, and Reina…

The Abyss’s unending threat.

He had nearly lost the precious bonds he’d formed in this world at every moment.

As Nahan approached the Abyss, he found himself chuckling involuntarily.

“The one fortunate thing is that this world has been luckier than the last one.”

Not a laugh of joy,

But a sneer born of self-mockery that even in this situation, it was better than his previous life.

His mood, which had been sinking since parting again with his only old friend, Comet, sank even deeper.

“『Should I congratulate you?』”

“…Whatever you want.”

Darkness seeping from the Abyss entered through Nahan’s slightly upturned lips.

Only then did the Abyss detect the change in Nahan.

Wasn’t he always the one with a bright smile, regardless of circumstances?

Now Nahan was, how to put it…

“『…You’ve fallen.』”

Like someone whose unbreakable spirit had finally snapped.

“『You look much better than before!』”

The Abyss blurted out its honest impression, but Nahan still wore only a faint smile.

“Enjoy the view. It won’t last long.”

…Focus.

-What… should I do?

Setting aside the inexplicable anxiety, Nahan concentrated on what needed to be done now.

The moment Nahan, facing the Abyss, suppressed the anxiety churning like nausea within him,

【Stage 3 seal release in progress.】

【Releasing seal… 100%】

【Abyss’s <Soul> is liberated.】

【Warning!】

【All restrictions on the Abyss have been removed.】

All of the Abyss’s seals were released.

Crack,

Crunch!

Breaking free from its small shell, the Abyss grew to about 3 meters tall, the size of a street tree.

…Crumble.

Now its mere existence caused everything it touched to vanish.

“『About 70% of my true form…? Well, this should be enough.』”

The Abyss smiled with satisfaction and bent down to ask Nahan, who stood blankly.

“『So, how do you plan to handle this?』”

Nahan answered by taking a step.

Not away from the Abyss,

But toward it.