Ch.242Chapter 242. The End of One Who Walked Alone

-BOOM!

The magic core responds to desire, surging with power.

From that moment, he felt vitality returning to his limp body, and as he straightened himself, he reaffirmed one truth.

That the source of this surging power, and the path guided by that desire, was not wrong.

“Ah, yes, I…”

Within the crashing waves of power formed at the end, the demon whispered.

“I was destined to become this.”

From the beginning, he was fated to be born this way.

On a journey that began with curiosity about his origins, it was inevitable that even his purpose would be swallowed, reducing him to an empty existence.

He cursed the world that had bestowed such a damned fate upon him.

And the being who created such a world, as well as those abominable existences who manipulated it as they pleased.

“I was born to punish their arrogance. To conquer with these hands that mold every world I live in as I please…!!”

Such realization spread beyond desire to become a mission, eventually filling his inner being.

His once-white flesh gradually darkened, and the torrent flowing through his body was so intense that even his blood began to evaporate, gradually turning crimson.

-CRASH!

The power created at the end spread in all directions, even sweeping away the storm that had rushed to where they stood.

And he steps forward.

-CRASH!!!

Despite the growing presence through his newly awakened power.

Toward that weak and abominable mortal who still stood his ground.

“So, get out of my way…”

Honing the hatred he felt to its sharpest edge, he aimed it at the heart of his opponent.

“Your revenge is not something a worthless thing like you should interfere with!!!”

The perfect leap that followed turned his body into an afterimage, instantly bringing him right before his opponent’s face.

And he swings his fist with full force.

A fist containing enough power to burst his opponent’s head while still alive at the point of impact.

-CRACK!!

But his opponent was one who could detect death several moves ahead, even faster than the passing moment.

Having avoided all hundreds of afterimages visible to the eye, he entered the only path where that attack couldn’t reach, swinging his sword toward the Demon Lord’s blind spot.

-SLASH!

The Demon Lord paid no mind even as the blade tore his skin.

For that is what it means to be strong.

For one who still seeks power, all attacks from the weak must be disregarded.

-TEAR, SPLASH!

He pays no mind even when those attacks slice through his naked flesh and burst blood.

The one before him does not interfere with his mission, and must not interfere.

To prove this, he must withstand all attacks his opponent delivers.

Only by grasping victory at the end can he prove the righteousness of his calling as one who seeks strength.

-SLASH!!

With such determination, he withstood all attacks from the front and counterattacked whenever opportunity arose.

Filling each strike with killing intent.

Deadly blows spread like an encirclement, repeatedly choking his breath…

-BOOM, BOOM!!

Even if he could avoid his attacks, that too was nothing more than the struggle of a worm.

Ready to repeat again and again to make him physically feel the gap between them.

-CRASH!!!!

The fierce exchange that followed was interrupted when a storm suddenly rushed to where they stood.

It was a signal that his power had dug into the cracks, widening the gap and opening a passage to the other side.

So entering that place would allow him to cross over to the world beyond.

Though not immediately, if he kept repeating it, he could eventually reach the world of those who had bestowed this fate upon him.

‘No… Not yet.’

Yet he did not head there.

Because there was something more important than heading to the other side right now.

‘I must defeat this one.’

Leaving without settling the score here would be called running away.

One who seeks to annihilate even gods must never set a precedent of failing to kill even a single insect, which would hinder the fulfillment of his desires.

“Die…”

Waves of magical power filled with such determination shot continuously from his grasp.

“Die into pieces right here, you damned worm!!!”

Even a single shot could blow away a village, but even such attacks couldn’t drive him from his position.

Of course.

He was one who had learned how to fight against the strong as a weak person.

If one knows that the opponent is merely the strongest, not invincible, it would be foolish to fear the attacks coming before him.

-CRASH!!

So he reversed the power of the strong.

Using himself as the axis to control the flow of power shot by the Demon Lord, creating a path to send the attack back.

-CRASH!

The Demon Lord did not fall even when the high-powered spear pierced through his body.

He retreated only one step.

Despite having his own power turned against him, he withstood that power and took two steps, making a leap greater than what had pushed him back, negating the power gap.

“I’m not a worm, I’m Hyoseong Woo, you damn bastard.”

A faint voice reached him as he clearly faced his opponent again.

From the moment he heard those words, he felt the presence in his mind becoming even clearer.

“Hyo…seong?”

“Hyoseong Woo!!!”

The human Hyoseong Woo readjusted his posture and gripped his spear tightly with a shout.

Despite his body being so damaged it seemed about to collapse, the blue gaze directed at him never wavered.

“That’s the name of the one who will defeat you here and return alive, so engrave it clearly in your mind.”

Eyes as straight as the spear aimed at him.

The moment he met that gaze, an uncontrollable displeasure came over him, prompting him to draw more power regardless of his injuries.

“…Hyoseong Woo.”

The name of the worm blocking his path.

Among the countless worms he had trampled, the name of the meddler even he couldn’t take lightly.

“Hyoseong Woo, Hyoseong Woo!!!”

The shells created by converting his emotions toward that name into concentrated power began to fire continuously toward him.

Attacks each sufficient to destroy the foothold beneath.

Dodging these attacks by jumping from platform to platform, he eventually recognized the attacks surrounding him from all directions and deployed weapons all around.

Even knowing those weapons would be swept away with a single attack.

-CRASH!

Accepting the attacks slowed by those weapons into his body, to reverse them back.

-CRASH!!

The fierce slash that followed split even the oncoming storm, creating turbulence that turned into blade winds, beginning to tear the Demon Lord’s body apart.

There was no defense against it.

Without even armor to protect himself, enduring and deflecting all attacks was the composure a strong one should have.

“You…”

Even if not, out of stubbornness.

The Demon Lord who endured all those attacks and regenerated those wounds advanced, tearing through the oncoming storm to rush before him.

“You alone, absolutely…!!”

Now forgetting even his mission.

With the sole determination to kill the owner of the name engraved in his mind, he prepared to swing his hand, honed to the limit.

-SWISH!!

And he too, foreseeing the future that would come in a few seconds, deployed weapons all around, squeezing out his strength.

For the Demon Lord who charged in abandoning even defense, all these weapons would be fatal wounds that could cut his limbs and burst his vital points.

-CRASH!!!

Yet the Demon Lord advanced.

Regardless of how many weapons pierced his body or how close their blades came to his vital points.

Rather, with each weapon he received with his body, he felt the power of desire honing his hands grow stronger.

“Die!!!”

When his claws, emitting that powerful malice, finally approached close enough to narrow the distance, he too gripped the dagger he had prepared for this moment, ready to swing.

To directly stab the Demon Lord’s vital point that had clearly revealed itself in this moment.

A point he couldn’t target with the indiscriminate bombardment.

-SLASH!

Two malicious weapons fly toward each other.

Neither of them avoided the attack.

They simply focused all their strength, all their nerves, solely on cutting off the other’s breath.

-CRUNCH!

The attacks that followed penetrated each other’s bodies, and the blood that splattered began to soar skyward, defying gravity.

Both bodies were in shambles, but blood still flowed, proving they were still alive.

“…You.”

It was none other than the Demon Lord who first broke the silence that formed.

Because he felt no sensation of the heart of the abominable one before him, which should have been in his grasp.

“Do you… intend to die together…?”

But in the end, the part he penetrated was the abdomen, not the chest.

For one with such a fragile origin, this too would be fatal.

Though not instant death, it was an injury that would obviously lead to death if left alone.

“…Because I saw.”

Yet on the lips of the one who had succeeded in stabbing the magic core, there was a light smile, in stark contrast to his previous anger.

As if the current result was sufficient.

“With this strike… that you won’t die…”

Just for not dying immediately.

Just for having taken the opponent’s breath along with his own, as if the outcome of this fight was sufficient.

-CRACK!

Following such a light whisper, the ground that finally couldn’t withstand the shock began to crack.

The Demon Lord could understand with his collapsing body that the place where they stood would soon crumble.

“How can you go this far?”

Taking advantage of the final gap before that time came, the Demon Lord asked him with difficulty.

“You too… fought to live… Yet in the end, you chose to die together… Aren’t you afraid of dying?”

Even the lowest creature would want to live.

For that, he must have struggled so desperately, yet at the end, he made the choice to throw away his own life.

“Of course I’m afraid…”

Despite sensing his own end, his expression remained incredibly light.

His voice too.

“But I know.”

“…Know what?”

“That there are people who will accept me.”

With that answer, the floor collapsed with a BOOM!

Unable to defy gravity, the bodies of the two began to fall into the storm below.

He too could not be free from the impact that would follow.

With his magic core, the source of power as a demon, directly penetrated, even the newly awakened power born from desire was rapidly draining away.

Was this the end result of the foolish choice to receive all attacks with his body?

“Hyoseong!”

No, there must be something truly more foolish.

He had simply forgotten after too much time had passed, or tried to turn his eyes away because it was too late.

“Wake up, Hyoseong!”

But the voice he heard at this moment was forcing him to face the reality he had tried so hard to avoid.

As he said at the end, even at this moment, there were people willing to accept him even as he was dying.

“Captain!!!!”

Furthermore, starting with the prophet who embraced his body, there were those rushing from the ground to find him.

“Captain! The bird tribe is heading there now! Hurry… hurry this way!!!”

Even that sight was swept away by the storm that engulfed him as he fell alone, eventually completely blocking his sight and hearing.

Yet he could understand.

That the weak one who risked his life and prepared for death together would be saved by the hands of those he protected.

‘I…’

What about himself?

Despite claiming to be strong, he advanced due to his stubbornness and now faces his end after taking a hit to his vital point.

‘There is no one by my side…’

Despite facing such an end, there was no one left to receive his body.

Because he felt no more value in them.

Because he couldn’t quell the emptiness even by killing them, he finally decided to abandon everything.

‘How foolish. Despite realizing first that I couldn’t accomplish anything alone, I ended up abandoning everyone and coming here.’

Though he might curse the world that bestowed such a fate upon him again, what he felt when he fell to the collapsed ground was not resentment but an emotion called nostalgia.

Though it began from curiosity, though it ended with unfulfilled revenge.

He now realized that the happiest moments in that process were when he traveled with those who followed him.

‘Mephisto. Are you ready to travel?’

Yes, there were days when he felt pure joy.

As he recalled this, his mouth gradually opened, and soon the regret welling up inside began to leak out.

“If only I could go back to the old days…”

A modest wish that couldn’t become desire because it was now unattainable.

To commemorate his end with such a wish.

“If I could go back to that time… things might have been a little different.”

That voice, which came to bid farewell to his end.

Without realizing that his former loyal servant, who had now turned his back on him, was listening.

“If I had heard those words a little earlier, I might never have left your side.”

“You really are the worst until the end, damn father.”

Yes, this would be his end.

The demon who admired humans vaguely understood that even if they couldn’t be together, he should at least bid farewell to his end.