Ch.236Chapter 236: Unpleasant Reunion, and Confrontation (2)

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A cloudless night sky, adorned with a full moon and countless stars.

Though the sun had set, its absence was filled by light that cast an equal glow upon everything beneath the sky, creating a scene that would naturally evoke tranquility.

Yet the area around Hyunseong (玄城) at the heart of Nakyeol, the capital of the Golden Moon Empire, was shrouded in gloom, untouched by the night sky’s blessing.

At the source of this gloom stood a figure resembling a human formed from mist, staring intently at one spot with an unmistakable air of arrogance.

The figure, despite being made of mist, exuded such vitality that it seemed unbelievable—radiating a twisted energy powerful enough to strip away the sanity of anyone who faced it directly.

Yet the very source of this terrifying distortion, the demon god Dazaier, was in an exceptionally good mood.

Various reasons contributed to her pleasant disposition.

To name just a few:

Thanks to a quasi-deity, who was practically her servant, pouring divine power into her sleeping form to awaken her, she had gained limited freedom of movement, which pleased her.

And upon confirming that this servant had weakened from overexertion and might be in danger from humans,

When she descended to this world she longed for, even in limited form, her joy grew at the thought of enjoying this rare outing.

These two reasons alone would have been enough to satisfy her, but there was something else that brought her unexpected delight.

Something that made her inwardly cheer with such joy that she forgot the two previous reasons the moment she encountered it.

That something was now rushing toward her at tremendous speed.

Thanks to the heightened senses of a transcendent being possessing divine power, movements that even exceptional superhumans could not track with their eyes appeared to her as exceedingly slow motions.

But this was only possible because her senses perceived it that way.

Without her enhanced perception, even she would not have been able to predict how the movement unfolding before her would reach her, so swift was it.

“…Impressive.”

Dazaier offered sincere admiration toward the point that drew a line through space, flying toward her to strike her surface.

In the current situation, where activating her senses properly made all movement around her essentially frozen,

That which moved so distinctly, albeit slowly, drew admiration from Dazaier.

“Well now…”

Thus, Dazaier examined with keen interest what was approaching her, her eyes filled with curiosity.

To her, who had endured monotonous days since that time a thousand years ago,

This was the only thing that had broken through her boredom, delivering subtly different results each time she reversed time, again and again.

It was a man.

A thousand years ago, when she tried to overlay this land with the new laws she loved,

She was defeated by a warrior chosen by the holy sword—which she loathed intensely—and a certain dragon who aided him, resulting in the loss of some divine power she had painstakingly gathered.

As a result, she could no longer properly intervene in this material world, and this man before her was a vessel capable of inheriting almost all of her power.

He was what she called her “agent”—one who had traversed countless reversals of time.

A being who could handle her divine power without any side effects even if she poured it into him without reservation.

One who could, depending on circumstances, even become her successor with divine power.

…Though her attempts had always ended in failure, he had always provided her with unexpected pleasure in the process.

“I truly never tire of this.”

As the intensity of Dazaier’s expression deepened while gazing at this source of entertainment,

“I’m always curious about what form you’ll take to greet me each time I open my eyes, and you never fail to meet my expectations.”

After casually appraising what was approaching her, Dazaier extended her right hand forward, opening it and lightly flicking it back and forth.

It was a clearly provocative gesture.

This was evident from the gradually deepening intensity of the crimson flames that, though slow, were steadily flying toward her.

She knew these flames well.

A thousand years ago, when she finally found this land after much wandering and descended to overlay it with her ideal new principles,

These were the flames of the red dragon who had taken human form and, along with the warrior wielding the holy sword born from the blessing of those with straight and unbending divine power whom she deeply despised,

Had given her the most difficulty.

They were flames so intense that merely seeing them would make those with impure energy feel the fear of survival.

“How did my agent come to face those flames? They’re nothing more than embers left from a fire…”

To her, who remembered when those flames were at their most powerful, the crimson flames now surging toward her seemed like mere child’s play.

*flick flick*

Thus, as she watched the flames growing larger as they approached her, Dazaier’s attitude—flicking her right palm—showed nothing but composure.

Because she couldn’t materialize a divine body in the material world that could perfectly contain her power, the temporary body she had manifested wasn’t of the highest quality.

“It might take some time to tame because of that.”

Even though she herself was murmuring that the current opponent might be a bit challenging,

“But the more difficult a horse is to tame, the greater the satisfaction when it’s finally broken!!”

One thing was clear—she was ecstatic about the pleasure to come.

This was evident from how she compared her approaching opponent to a wild horse.

Originally, when she first descended, she had no intention of fighting.

As mentioned earlier, she had made this precious appearance to prevent further weakening of her servant who had used their meager divine power to awaken her from her long sleep.

Fighting like this could cause major disruptions to her future actions, having just awakened from her long slumber.

Therefore, she had initially planned to display a fraction of her power—weak though it was, still overwhelming for ordinary mortals—to create an intimidating presence.

Then she would carefully retrieve the fragment of her servant and quietly withdraw.

But such a meticulous(?) plan was set aside the moment she encountered her potential agent candidate in an unexpectedly robust form.

“Come.”

Dazaier’s movement was static as she invited the approaching flames with a soft word.

She appeared defenseless and careless against the flames rushing toward her with such momentum.

“Previously, I made you my agent by awakening you as you were dying.”

As she uttered these words, an indescribably impure energy began to emanate from her mist-shrouded body.

“Now, even if I can’t take you immediately, I can at least beat you into submission to establish the hierarchy, right?”

The demon god showed no fear of the impending battle as she contemplated how to handle the opponent who would bring her pleasure.

While this revealed arrogance beyond mere confidence in never losing, regardless of who the opponent might be,

KRRRRRR-!!!

The impure energy responding to her will roared with a sound reminiscent of thunder and lightning, emanating a power that made even such arrogance seem justified.

The demon god was simply delighted.

To her, living in a world trapped in the bondage of maddening time that inevitably reset after a certain period without reason,

She had encountered a being who gave her great pleasure, like the one before her, in a form more robust than any she could remember.

And whether that robustness accepted her or not,

Whether it harmed her or not, she would subdue this opponent who appeared to her in a different form each time she opened her eyes, and make them serve under her.

For there could be no greater pleasure for her, bound by the constraints of time that even her friend who wielded the mighty power to control space-time could not escape.

KRRRRRR-!!

The thunder of impure energy responding to her will grew in size.

As if to teach her rushing opponent what overwhelming power truly meant.

But Dazaier, barely containing the smile blooming at the sight of the agent before her, did not yet know.

She did not know what result would come from the combination of these flames—which she considered inferior even to the embers of a being that had once challenged her but now fallen—and the agent who would provide her with pleasure.

And because she was so focused on the opponent before her,

She couldn’t even imagine that the light she despised was slowly growing larger and approaching.

She, who was merely holding back her laughter, had no idea yet.

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To overcome this life-or-death situation,

I was now engaging in a gamble I had never attempted in my life.

I was opening all the ki stored in both my heart and Dragon Heart simultaneously, without hesitation.

I had tried circulating the ki from both organs at once shortly after having the Dragon Heart implanted, as an experiment.

But at that time, my physical training was incomplete, and when I maximized only the ki circulation, all the capillaries in my body nearly burst before I barely managed to calm it down.

Realizing it was too risky, I focused on physical training and expanding the vessel that could contain the ki.

After all, even if I gained enormous power, it would be useless without the foundation to properly wield it.

And now, three years after gaining that brief insight,

[How does it feel to release all your ki at once?]

‘Compared to the first time I released it, I don’t feel my body being overwhelmed by the power.’

[Good results from your relentless effort after that initial failure.]

‘But I don’t think I can maintain this for long.’

[The opponent doesn’t intend to fight you to the death either, so you just need to engage until she gets bored.]

‘That might not be easy, but I’ll try.’

[If necessary, I could borrow your body to ensure you don’t get harmed.]

‘I appreciate the thought. But I’d like to end everything before it comes to that.’

Even as I reveled in the acceleration of my body—faster than an arrow leaving a bow—I was relieved that my control over ki had become skilled enough to maintain a conversation with Fafnir.

In fact, “skilled” hardly did justice to what was happening.

My body, enhanced by the simultaneously released ki, was granting me a miracle.

While my body accelerated infinitely fast, my consciousness perceived units shorter than a second with crystal clarity, as if everything was moving extremely slowly.

I could clearly recognize my rushing body approaching Dazaier, who was shrouded in mist.

With this…!!

A strange certainty arose within me.

If this overflowing power were projected into a sword strike,

I was certain it would inflict irreversible, critical damage to that demon god’s fake body, which was now showing off by flicking her right hand at me.

I steeled my will—a resolve not to be manipulated anymore by that oppressor who had played with my life in countless memories of time that had naturally seeped into my mind, along with the time before regression that I had directly experienced.

WHOOOSH-!!

Along with the flames forming on the dragon sword that grew larger as the ki activated, I strengthened my resolve.

My body, which had been moving slowly in my perception, finally entered the range to engage with Dazaier, who had been maintaining a composed posture.

As Dazaier, recognizing that I had entered her range, finally stopped flicking her hand and moved to strike at my sword hand,

WHOOOM-!!

I swung my sword faster than she could react.

My aim was singular.

KRRRRRR-!!

Dazaier’s fake body, spewing impure energy with thunderous roars.

I had to cut it down.

For the sake of the people living in this city, enjoying ordinary lives and small happinesses.

And to declare to that oppressor, who regarded me as nothing more than a puppet for her convenience, that I would no longer be manipulated.

I had to cut her down!!

In my accelerated consciousness, I could see the trajectory of my slowly swinging sword.

Not the turbid trajectory that came from my once-ugly heart that pursued only selfish desires and the wish to become stronger—a trajectory that used to waver constantly.

Now, a beautiful trajectory of bright crimson particles followed my sword strike, gaining clarity from my will to protect something.

Despite seeing this, the demon god’s movement remained unchanged from before.

She was extending just two fingers of her right hand to intercept the trajectory of my sword strike, which I was swinging with all my might.

She must have judged that those two fingers—which had excellently blocked my previous sword strike—would be more than enough, but

This time would be different.

CLANG-!!

They collided. The blade of ultra-metal with divine power just short of a holy sword clashed with the fake body made of mist, creating an incredibly heavy metallic sound that shook the air.

Simultaneously with the sound, I thrilled at the distinct sensation transmitted through my hands—the feeling of having cut through something.

I had cut through it. Not the dense divine body that was beyond imagination, but

I had cut through a body imbued with the will of a transcendent being, using a weapon that wasn’t a holy sword.

[…Oh.]

Fafnir expressed slight admiration in my mind at the sight before us.

“What surprised me earlier now seems hardly worth mentioning. Impressive.”

Even from Dazaier’s lips came an exclamation tinged with mild surprise as she saw the two fingers she had extended to block the dragon sword completely vanish.

Though it was somewhat puzzling that she didn’t show anger at seeing a wound inflicted on a body imbued with the will of a transcendent being—even if fake—that was considered blasphemous to even face.

“This is why you are an unparalleled being to be my agent.”

Following this, the mist constituting Dazaier’s body,

KRRRRRR-!!!

Emitted a thunder far denser than before, spewing all the twisted divine power dwelling within her body.

Opening my power had made me think I could somewhat match this being, but if she revealed her true abilities, I would be at a disadvantage.

“I’m getting more and more greedy. At first, I just wanted to check your condition, but now I see you could withstand being remade to my liking right away, and I can’t contain myself.”

See? She openly regards me as nothing more than a convenient tool to be used as she pleases, showing her intention not to go easy on me—how could I not want to cut her down?

So I needed to create some distance between us and buy time, but

[That won’t be necessary.]

Fafnir’s assertion echoing in my mind made my already complicated thoughts even more complex.

‘…What kind of nonsensical bull—’

[Ah, stop with the bad language. Don’t you feel it? The five-colored ki of light rapidly approaching us?]

I was about to vehemently object to his words, but when he added this detailed explanation, I began to gather my ki-sensing abilities.

“…!!”

I could confirm that hope—capable of resolving this desperate situation at once—was approaching rapidly.

[Your handling of ki-sensing is still clumsy. Someone like you should have noticed this before I did.]

Just as Fafnir finished scolding me for noticing this too late,

CRASH-!!

A clear streak of blue lightning struck not far from where I was facing off with Dazaier, and

“Heavenly Ascension!!!”

I could see a voice I loved so much summoning a divine weapon that raised a golden light of ki reminiscent of midday, clearing away the dark red particles covering the night sky.

“Tch.”

Sensing this, Dazaier abandoned the composure she had maintained throughout and clicked her tongue lightly.

“…I lost focus having fun. I didn’t even notice something like that coming from behind.”

It was natural for her to express such mild grumbling at having her enjoyment interrupted.

In her current incomplete state, facing not one but two divine weapons imbued with powerful divine power—which would ensure her defeat—approaching her,

It would have been ridiculous to maintain her previous attitude of mere entertainment.

Judging from this state, it seemed impossible for her to continue causing chaos here.

“…Regrettable, but I must end this here today.”

As expected, Dazaier chose to retreat rather than escalate the situation, with words like these.

As she picked up Adorator’s fragment, which she had safely put aside during our fierce battle, with surprising speed,

“Today my preparation was lacking, so my hospitality was poor.”

She bid farewell.

No sooner had she greeted us than Dazaier’s fake body, holding Adorator’s fragment, began to rapidly fade.

Though my body was screaming from the tension built up through successive fierce battles,

“Until we meet again.”

It was unthinkable to let a demon god depart peacefully after such a farewell, so

WHOOOM-!!

I fired a sword energy created by pouring all the remaining power in the dragon sword, but

Before my sword energy could tear through Dazaier’s fake body,

“Too bad. You’re a little late.”

She avoided my sword energy and expressed playful regret with her returned leisurely voice.

[What a shame.]

Fafnir also seemed quite disappointed at the sight, but

I had no leisure to store such regret in my heart.

Why, you ask?

Well, obviously…

[Well done. Rest now.]

Because the recoil from simultaneously releasing the ki stored in my heart and Dragon Heart was finally hitting me.

Though it wasn’t like the crude, intense pain of before,

The overwhelming fatigue was unavoidable, it seemed.

Well, the job was done, so I could leave the rest to others and get some sleep…

“…Cal!!”

The last sound I heard as I was falling asleep was Shizu’s voice, calling for me anxiously.