Ch.188Final Chapter. In the Name of Flame (5)

It wasn’t too late.

Grand Duke Andrei. And Yeon Se-hwi, the Celestial Horse. The advance team of hunters led by those two had held their ground well against Juan Soriano.

‘Thanks to them, Juan Soriano couldn’t run wild.’

My companions and I entered Namsan.

Everywhere on Namsan was filled with the corpses of the advance team. The smell of blood was overwhelming. But their deaths weren’t meaningless.

The Sages and I would leap over those hunters’ bodies and head toward Gwanghwamun Plaza where the evil god awaited.

My companions stood before the tower.

They faced Juan Soriano, who had already transformed into a greater demon and was emitting enormous demonic energy.

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

Blue-white flames engulfed Juan Soriano.

“GYAAAAH! Wh-what are you doing!! KYAAAAARGH!!”

Soriano seemed to have been rampaging confidently until just moments ago.

But after being directly hit by the divine beast’s fire I created, he screamed horribly.

“How can a flame spell have such power…”

“With that level of power, it must be beyond 7th tier… No, it’s an 8th tier spell.”

I heard Yeon Se-hwi and Andrei’s voices.

The power of the divine beast. It was the authority inherited from Arel’s divinity. It was essentially the source of divine power.

So if my spell had evolved from the Vermilion Bird’s fire to the divine beast’s fire, and if it contained resonance compression as well…

It was nothing short of Juan Soriano’s greatest natural enemy.

I quickly checked on the two people’s condition.

“Are you alright?”

Andrei and Yeon Se-hwi nodded.

Arin approached the two. Her divine power spread to them.

If the divine power I possess is the power of annihilation, then the power Arin possesses as Ayel’s saint is the authority of immense healing.

The expressions of the two who had suffered serious injuries improved considerably. I spoke to them.

“We truly have very little time left. I’ll leave Juan Soriano to you two.”

“The two of us… Understood.”

Yeon Se-hwi nodded. Andrei looked at me and spoke with sincere eyes.

“Please… take care of my daughter.”

His voice was quiet enough that Yuri couldn’t hear.

I said to the two:

“I will absolutely protect both of you. Both Yuri and Soso.”

Both of them looked relieved at my words.

GYAAAAAAAH-

Meanwhile, Soriano seemed to have regained his strength.

The divine beast’s fire imbued with the power of the Four Divine Beasts.

Though I hadn’t yet used my ultimate spell, Prometheus, that fire alone had already incinerated several greater demons.

‘Yet he withstood it.’

Of course, I knew Soriano wouldn’t be easy to deal with.

The head of the Red Lake. And the culprit behind the Eins Tragedy. But now, I couldn’t afford to waste time dealing with him.

Swish-

My companions had already read my mind.

Yeon Se-hwi shouted in surprise.

“Soso’s sword…!! The realm of the Celestial Horse Divine Technique has reached such heights…”

Soso moved to confront Soriano. The six wings symbolizing a greater demon. Soso tore them all apart with her Wave Shadow Sword.

“How dare you lowly insects… insects… GYAAAAAAAH!!”

Soriano exploded demonic energy in all directions.

WOOOONG-

That terrible wave of demonic energy shook Namsan. That killing intent alone would be enough to destroy the mana hearts of ordinary hunters.

“This light…”

But Andrei, Yeon Se-hwi, and the hunters who had arrived later were unharmed.

Grand Duke Andrei continued:

“Yuri’s barrier is protecting the hunters…”

He was right.

After awakening as a Snow Woman and a Sage, Yuri’s Eternal Barrier had evolved anew.

Snow began to fall on Namsan. And that snow gathered in front of the allied hunters.

“To think such a wide-ranging spell is possible! It’s unbelievable.”

Just as Yeon Se-hwi said.

Yuri’s Eternal Barrier had created shields for all the hunters on Namsan.

Those shields defended against Soriano’s demonic energy and the demons’ attacks.

“What kind of trick is this…!!”

When things didn’t go his way, Soriano let out another ferocious roar.

But there was no time to deal with him.

Only 30 minutes remained. In 30 minutes, Sethanas’s manifestation would be complete.

As someone who only possessed the power of an avatar, not a god, I couldn’t annihilate Sethanas who would descend to earth as a god.

So my companions needed to head to Gwanghwamun right now.

“Recovery complete!”

Arin shouted. It seemed that Andrei and Yeon Se-hwi’s recovery was complete.

And the two of them simultaneously looked at me and said:

“Leave this place to us!”

“You and the Sages should head toward Sethanas!”

At those words, Yuri and Soso simultaneously retreated from Soriano.

The eyes of father and daughter met for a moment. Soso wore an expression like she might cry, and Yuri had a complicated look, but…

Everyone’s hearts were united.

“Stay alive.”

Yuri said as she passed by Grand Duke Andrei. The Duke nodded. Yeon Se-hwi embraced Soso once.

“Dad… you must survive. I’ll come back alive too.”

“Let’s do that, my precious daughter.”

Soso held back her tears and ran back to me. I saluted Yeon Se-hwi and Andrei.

The two returned my salute. I nodded and descended Namsan with my companions.

SCREECH-

A van stopped in front of us. The driver’s window opened, revealing a familiar face.

“Everyone get in the van! We can head to Gwanghwamun now!”

It was Uncle Donghyuk. We hurriedly got into the van.

***

We finally reached Gwanghwamun Plaza.

Uncle Donghyuk had floored the accelerator. That’s how we were able to arrive here in less than 5 minutes.

But even those 5 minutes felt precious now.

Uncle Donghyuk and Seo Duho, who had ridden with us, saluted the group.

“Make sure you come back alive!”

We all saluted back. Uncle Donghyuk’s gaze turned to me once more.

Uncle Donghyuk, who had been good to me since the Eins days, when I was a nameless lowest-ranked student.

The uncle told everyone to come back alive, but even if we successfully defeated Sethanas, this would be the last time I’d see him.

And Manager Seo Duho, who had always been favorable to me since I joined Flame.

But I smiled at them.

“We all need to have a team dinner when we get back! We’ll be back!”

After saying that, I closed the van door. They departed to a safe location.

And my companions looked up at the plaza as if by agreement.

“So that’s the evil god… Sethanas…”

Yuri said in a subdued voice.

A massive, dark red dragon. That dragon filled the sky above the plaza.

Though it seemed unable to move properly yet, silently floating in the air while waving its enormous pair of wings…

Its mere presence instantly evoked a fear of death. I sensed it.

‘Something like that shouldn’t exist on earth.’

And no one on earth could face Sethanas.

If not for me, Arel’s avatar, they would be crushed by that enormous demonic energy and have their souls destroyed.

Gwanghwamun was already a space of death. No living being could survive around here.

And Sethanas wasn’t the only thing present in the plaza.

The evil god’s demonic energy had summoned numerous demons.

‘The smell of sulfur… is absolutely terrible.’

Not just the smell of sulfur, but the hellish stench of rotting corpses. The surrounding landscape was already distorted, bearing no resemblance to the Gwanghwamun I remembered.

It was as if hell itself had unfolded in the mortal world.

GRRRRRR-

The demons growled as they glared at us.

Beings with appearances so bizarre they defied description.

‘This is ominous.’

Demons with twisted appearances that were both repulsive and eerie, resembling mollusks or goats, all stared at us at once.

Everyone’s expression darkened. Though my eyes were open…

Visions appeared when I closed my eyes. I heard the voices of the Eins Tragedy victims whispering in my ears.

– Lee Minsu. We all died because of you! So you too…

– Come to where we are. There you too will face eternal oblivion…

I quickly shook my head.

‘Get lost. As you wish… I’ll soon be annihilated. Not much time left.’

Less than 30 minutes remained. I bit my lip hard and concentrated.

I heard Arin’s voice.

“Everyone, stay focused! Don’t let the demonic energy consume you! Oh Ayel!”

With those words, I felt a warmth spread throughout my body. Looking around, I saw that Yuri and Soso seemed to be experiencing similar visions.

“Everyone is probably seeing hallucinations and hearing things! This place is where all the world’s curses are concentrated. A place humans shouldn’t enter. A place where the fires of hell are spreading!”

WOOOONG-

Arin’s divine power resonated even more.

“Don’t listen to the illusions! Like you always do… think only of Senior Minsu!”

At that, Yuri and Soso’s expressions, which had been momentarily dazed, returned to normal.

“Honey… Minsu…?”

“Mi… must protect Minsu…”

Arin’s divine spell seemed to be working. Soso shouted in an angry voice.

“Damn it. To think I almost fell for such illusions!!”

A manic gleam entered Soso’s eyes. She seemed about to use the power of the Blood Demon.

“Don’t get in the way of Minsu and me!!”

Soso swung her Wave Shadow Sword, cutting down the demons that rushed at us all at once.

Yuri moved with her. Her Eternal Barrier protected us. At the same time, she shouted:

“The demons are protecting Sethanas! We can’t afford to waste time like this!”

Yuri was right.

The 72 demons must also be here. If they weren’t fools, they would know the danger we posed by storming this place.

‘That we’re the only threat that could kill Sethanas!’

That’s why the demons were stalling for time.

Rather than engaging in an all-out battle, they tormented us with hallucinations and curses like before.

At the same time, they created a barrage of demonic energy projectiles from a distance, blocking our approach to Sethanas. Their numbers exceeded several hundred, leaving no opening to approach Sethanas.

Even facing Sethanas alone would give us slim odds of victory.

If we were to be attacked by those demons as well, those odds would essentially drop to zero.

‘So someone must deal with them.’

And Yuri realized this fact too. That the Eastern Sages needed to fulfill that role.

At that moment, Yuri’s gaze changed.

“We’ll be your opponents!”

A blizzard swept across the plaza. Yuri’s Nivis made a sound that went beyond resonance, tearing through the surrounding air.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-

The realm of demonic energy was transformed into a realm of blizzard all at once.

Yuri’s eyes glowed blue. She seemed to have pushed the Snow Woman’s power to its limit.

“Yeon Soso! Charge! Open a path for Minsu!”

At Yuri’s command, Soso’s body shot forward like a flash of light.

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

The demons collectively created a concentrated barrage aimed at Soso, but Yuri created eternal ice walls around her.

Soso’s Aura Sword emitted light.

SLASH-

A massive Aura Sword over 3 meters long rushed toward the demons at once. Soso shouted:

“I’ll open a path for you! I’ll leave the rest to you, Minsu! Leave these demons to us!”

At the same time, I felt a warmth spread throughout my body. Arin was blessing me with her divine power.

“Senior. I’m counting on you! And… please… please…”

I heard Arin’s voice, choked with tears. I turned to face her.

“I’ll take care of the evil god and come back. It won’t take long.”

I patted her pink hair. Arin gripped my sleeve tightly but soon let go.

“Senior… Senior…”

Perhaps Arin had sensed something. I had lied to all three of them that I wasn’t terminally ill.

But now I needed to head toward Sethanas. There was no time.

I said goodbye to Arin.

“Thank you for everything, Arin.”

“Senior Minsu… SENIOR!!”

The wind of the Wind Cutter enveloped me. I rushed through the path that Yuri and Soso had opened.

And as I soared toward Sethanas, I shouted to everyone:

“I will protect all of you!”

I hoped my voice would reach them all.

***

Shortly after, I finally stood face to face with Sethanas.

The enormous demonic energy created by that evil god made me feel like my body would be torn apart.

But I didn’t avert my gaze. And Sethanas’s red eyes simultaneously turned toward me.

The evil god’s will was transmitted to me.

[Finally, we meet again. AREL!!!]

At the same time, a storm of demonic energy raged around, as if pulverizing the surrounding atmosphere.

And in my mind,

The terrible connection between the evil god Sethanas and Arel flashed by like a fast-forwarded scene.

The red dragon who was once human.

He was a priest who worshipped Arel more sincerely than anyone else on earth.

And wanting to transcend his human limitations, Sethanas desired to get closer to Arel. He was obsessed with Arel’s divinity.

That’s why Sethanas couldn’t forgive.

The death gods who received a portion of Arel’s divinity. Those divine beasts. He was intensely jealous of those divine beasts and wanted to steal their power.

Eventually, Sethanas was reborn as a divine beast in that cycle of reincarnation.

But not as a legitimate divine beast. Through false divinity created by taking countless human lives.

‘Sethanas. False god.’

Sethanas, the human who wanted to become a god.

And I recalled one being. A god who, conversely, loved humans so much that he wanted to become human.

That very Arel.

As Arel’s avatar, I now had to end everything.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not Arel, I’m Lee Minsu. I don’t have any compassion for you.”

I took out all the Ancient Gears, the divine beast gears.

The Azure Dragon’s gear, Wind Cutter. And the Black Tortoise’s necklace. Even the White Tiger’s fang. I made all those gears go berserk at once.

WOOOONG-

A massive resonance sound created a radiation of mana. The blue spreading light glowed so brightly it turned white.

And I placed those three gears against my chest.

There rested the Vermilion Bird’s divine object, the red jade.

“Give me strength, Seohwa.”

The four gears began to resonate simultaneously.

Simultaneous resonance compression of the four elements. I activated the ultimate spell.

Prometheus.

The spell to unleash the divine spear. The annihilating fire created by a god engulfed my body.